Phishing scams are no longer just shady emails with typos — they’re sophisticated, personalized, and increasingly powered by artificial intelligence. In 2025, one of the most dangerous tactics involves fake support messages, phone-based scams, and even AI-generated voice cloning. In this real-life example, cybersecurity expert Mike Wright breaks down what happens when you receive a phishing text pretending to be from a company you know, why these attacks work, and exactly what you can do to protect your accounts, your identity, and your voice

Phishing Texts Could Actually Be Voice Cloning Scams: How Scammers Use AI to Clone Your Voice

The other day, my friend Kelly sent me a message that stopped me in my tracks.

“I just got this text.”

Then she pasted this:

Coinbase:
A request to disable your 2FA has been submitted. If this was not initiated by you please reach out to us immediately at +1 217 615 7006.

At first glance, it looked official — clean wording, a real company name, and that classic urgent tone. But here’s the thing:

Kelly doesn’t even have a Coinbase account.

She asked me what would actually happen if someone called the number. And honestly? That question is scarier than the text itself — because the scam behind it is way more advanced than people realize.

What Happens If You Call One of These Numbers

These “support” scams are designed to hook you emotionally — fear, urgency, confusion — and then disarm you with professionalism.

Here’s how it plays out:

1. You call.

2. A very calm, helpful-sounding person answers.

3. They explain your account is compromised and they just need to “verify some info.”

That “info” often includes:

• Your email address and password

• A two-factor authentication code they walk you into giving up

• Your credit card or banking details

• Security questions or backup recovery data

And sometimes, just your voice.

Why Voice Cloning Is Now Part of the Scam

AI voice generation is no longer a futuristic threat — it’s happening right now. Scammers only need 10–15 seconds of your voice to create a fake version of you. Once they have it, they can:

• Call your bank and impersonate you

• Send fake voicemail requests to loved ones

• Try to bypass voiceprint security systems

The scary part? These fake voices sound good. Really good.

I covered this shift in a recent post called When Bots Become Coworkers: The Cybersecurity Plot Twist No One’s Ready For, where I dive into how AI is changing both how we work and how hackers attack.

Scammers Are Using Real Breach Data

The reason this text hit Kelly’s radar in the first place is because it felt real. These scams often work because they’re fueled by leaked data from real breaches — names, emails, even old passwords.

Once your info is out there (and chances are, it is), scammers can make their messages personal and urgent. That’s exactly what they’re betting on.

If you want to see just how dangerous these combinations of tactics can be, check out Ransomware, Phishing & Malware: The Big 3 Cyber Threats (And How to Beat Them).

Here’s What You Should Do Instead

• Do not call numbers from suspicious texts. Ever.

• Go to the official website or app directly to check on account status.

• Don’t talk to “support” that contacts you first — assume it’s fake until proven otherwise.

• Update your passwords, especially if you’ve reused any.

• Turn on two-factor authentication (but don’t give your codes to anyone who asks).

• Stay educated — the more you know about how these scams work, the less power they have.

For what can happen after a breach, including legal risks, I break that down in How to Avoid a Lawsuit After a Data Breach.

Final Thoughts From The Security Guru

Kelly’s experience is a perfect example of how phishing scams are evolving. It wasn’t sloppy. It wasn’t misspelled. It wasn’t obviously fake. It was crafted to slip past suspicion.

That’s the new standard in cybercrime — and it means we all need to raise our awareness.

You don’t need to live in fear. You just need to stay sharp, take smart precautions, and know when something doesn’t smell right.

Want your team to be trained on how to spot scams like this? I offer cybersecurity education that’s clear, current, and (surprisingly) fun. Because security done the Wright way sticks.

Contact me to set up a training for your team.