$12.5B
FTC-reported fraud losses in 2024
FTC says consumers reported losing $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024.
political deepfake robocall scam
AI-cloned voices of political figures are used in robocalls to spread disinformation, suppress voter turnout, or solicit fraudulent donations during election periods.
“deepfake scam”
↑ 495%Key indicators
Estimated impact
$1.4K
median reported loss
Typical range$90 – $9.0K
Recovery rate~15%
Scam breakdown
1
Scammers clone a politician's voice using publicly available speech recordings and AI voice synthesis tools.
2
Automated robocalls are sent to thousands of voters with misleading messages about polling locations, dates, or candidate positions.
3
Some calls direct recipients to fraudulent donation pages that steal credit card information.
What to do first
Verify any election information through your state or local election board's official website.
Related terms
AI political robocalldeepfake election scamAI deepfake scamsPhoneRisingVotersSeniorsPolitical donorsRetirees and seniorsNonprofit and charity workersImmigrants and visa holdersUnited StatesUnited KingdomIndiaAI political robocalldeepfake election scam
Real-world example
How this scam plays out in practice
Based on reported patterns. Names and details are illustrative.
The setup
Jennifer, 35, a voters, encountered what appeared to be a legitimate ai deepfake scams situation while using Phone. Scammers clone a politician's voice using publicly available speech recordings and AI voice synthesis tools.
Step 2
What happened next was calculated: Automated robocalls are sent to thousands of voters with misleading messages about polling locations, dates, or candidate positions.
Step 3
The pressure escalated quickly: Some calls direct recipients to fraudulent donation pages that steal credit card information.
The outcome
Jennifer realized something was wrong when robocall from a political figure telling you not to vote or to vote on the wrong date. By that point, significant damage had already been done — money sent, personal information shared, or trust exploited.
The lesson
Verify any election information through your state or local election board's official website. Jennifer's experience shows why robocall from a political figure telling you not to vote or to vote on the wrong date and unsolicited call requesting donations to an unfamiliar pac or organization are the clearest early warning signs.
How to identify it
- Robocall from a political figure telling you not to vote or to vote on the wrong date
- Unsolicited call requesting donations to an unfamiliar PAC or organization
- The voice sounds slightly robotic or has inconsistent background noise
- Pause before paying, clicking, or sharing information. Scammers rely on speed.
- Verify the sender, company, or agency using a phone number or website you already know is legitimate.
- Treat secrecy, urgency, and off-platform payment requests as strong scam signals.
What to do now
- ✓Verify any election information through your state or local election board's official website.
- ✓Never donate in response to an unsolicited call — go directly to the candidate's official campaign website.
- ✓Report suspicious political robocalls to the FCC at fcc.gov/consumers/guides/stop-unwanted-robocalls-and-texts.
What to save before reporting
- ✓Save the message, profile, phone number, email, or URL that was used.
- ✓Keep payment confirmations, receipts, and account alerts before you dispute or delete anything.
- ✓Write down the timeline while the details are still fresh.
- ✓Save the full chat or call log before blocking the sender so the reporting path still has the original context.
How big is this problem
You are not alone — this scam affects millions of people.
These numbers come from government agencies and official reports. If you have been affected, know that this is a widespread problem — not something that only happens to careless people.
FTC 2024 fraud losses
Imposters
Most common FTC fraud category in 2024
FTC says imposter scams remained the most commonly reported fraud category in 2024.
History and evolution
- This scam family tends to persist because the social-engineering pressure works even when the exact scripts, platforms, and payment methods change.
- The specific packaging evolves over time, but the core pattern usually stays the same: create urgency, control the channel, and push action before verification.
- In January 2024, an AI-generated robocall mimicking President Biden's voice was sent to New Hampshire voters urging them not to vote in the primary, leading to FCC enforcement action.
Recovery and follow-up
- ✓Save the messages, receipts, account alerts, and transaction details before you block or delete anything.
- ✓Report the scam through the official platform or government channel that best matches where it happened.
- ✓Tell close contacts if a phone or text scam used your identity, so scammers cannot reuse the same story against people around you.
- ✓Verify any election information through your state or local election board's official website.
- ✓Never donate in response to an unsolicited call — go directly to the candidate's official campaign website.
Why this pattern keeps working
Even when the story changes, most scams still use the same pressure pattern: urgency, authority, and a request to move money or data fast.
In January 2024, an AI-generated robocall mimicking President Biden's voice was sent to New Hampshire voters urging them not to vote in the primary, leading to FCC enforcement action.
FCC Enforcement Action 2024
Where to report it
If you have been targeted by this scam, reporting it helps authorities track the pattern and protect others. United States has dedicated agencies that handle fraud reports.
ReportFraud.gov
Federal Trade Commission
Central U.S. consumer fraud reporting portal.
File an IC3 complaint
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center
FBI portal for internet-enabled crime reports.
Start identity theft recovery
IdentityTheft.gov
Official U.S. identity theft recovery plan builder.
Explore further
Understand the bigger picture
Who is most at risk
Who this scam targets
Primary targets
Voters, Seniors, Political donors
Geographic concentration
United States, United Kingdom, India, Brazil
Primary channel
Phone — AI deepfake scams
Why this group is vulnerable
Voters are particularly vulnerable because this scam exploits trust in familiar brands, authority figures, and time-sensitive decisions. The growing number of reports suggests that awareness among this demographic remains low.
Sources and methodology
How we verify this information
OpenScam tracks scam patterns using a combination of government consumer protection databases (FTC, IC3, Action Fraud), platform-specific fraud reports, and verified consumer complaint data. Each entry is cross-referenced against at least two independent sources before publication.
Severity ratings are based on financial impact potential, reversibility of damage, and volume of reports across multiple reporting channels. Trend velocity reflects the rate of change in report volume over the most recent 90-day window.
This page was last verified on 2026-04-04. Red flags, recovery steps, and reporting resources are reviewed quarterly against current agency guidance.
Evidence and indicators
- In January 2024, an AI-generated robocall mimicking President Biden's voice was sent to New Hampshire voters urging them not to vote in the primary, leading to FCC enforcement action.
Source notes
- FCC Enforcement Action 2024
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about political deepfake robocall scam
How does the political deepfake robocall scam work?+
Scammers clone a politician's voice using publicly available speech recordings and AI voice synthesis tools. Automated robocalls are sent to thousands of voters with misleading messages about polling locations, dates, or candidate positions. Some calls direct recipients to fraudulent donation pages that steal credit card information.
What are the warning signs of political deepfake robocall scam?+
Robocall from a political figure telling you not to vote or to vote on the wrong date Unsolicited call requesting donations to an unfamiliar PAC or organization The voice sounds slightly robotic or has inconsistent background noise
What should I do if I encounter political deepfake robocall scam?+
Verify any election information through your state or local election board's official website. Never donate in response to an unsolicited call — go directly to the candidate's official campaign website. Report suspicious political robocalls to the FCC at fcc.gov/consumers/guides/stop-unwanted-robocalls-and-texts.
Who is most at risk for political deepfake robocall scam?+
This scam primarily targets Voters, Seniors, Political donors. It is most commonly reported in United States, United Kingdom, India, Brazil and typically appears on Phone.
Is political deepfake robocall scam on the rise?+
political deepfake robocall scam is currently on the rise with growing reports. It has been reported across US, UK, IN, BR. Last updated 2026-04-04.
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Help someone avoid this scam.
Scammers succeed because people do not talk about it. If you or someone you know has been affected, there is no shame in it — it happens to millions of people every year. Share this page with friends and family so they know what to look for.