Costing consumers millions, a surge in deepfake voice scams poses a serious threat to individuals and businesses alike
Deepfake scams are on the rise and among the most financially devastating fraud calls, according to new research from Hiya, the global leader in AI-powered voice intelligence. New research published its Q4 2024 Global Call Threat Report – a comprehensive study of global call fraud – showed that in the US, the average reported loss per victim of fraud calls is $539. However, AI-generated deepfake fraud calls result in far greater financial damage, with more victims reporting losses exceeding $6,000 than those affected by traditional phone scams.
The rising danger of deepfake voice scams
Deepfake voice scams are rapidly escalating, posing a serious threat to individuals and businesses alike. Fraudsters now clone voices to impersonate loved ones, financial institutions, and even government agencies, deceiving victims into handing over sensitive information. New data from Hiya’s Global Call Threat Report reveals that more than one-third of respondents across the US, UK, Canada, Germany, France, and Spain have encountered a deepfake voice fraud call in the past year. Alarmingly, more than 30% of those targeted fell victim, suffering significant financial losses. In the US, the average reported loss was $539, while Canadian victims faced the steepest losses at CAD$1,479. This surge in AI-driven scams highlights the critical need for advanced fraud detection.
Key findings from the Q4 2024 Report:
- Deepfake voice scams on the rise: AI-generated impersonation scams are an increasing threat, with 31% of US consumers, 27% of Canadians, and 26% of UK consumers reporting encounters with deepfake fraud calls.
- Scams follow seasonal trends: With increased holiday spending, Amazon and package delivery scams skyrocketed worldwide in November and December.
- US-specific threats: Different regions faced unique scams. In the US, Medicare scams were the most common type of fraud call, which surged in Q4, peaking during the week open enrollment ended. Reports suggest scammers were trying to obtain personal details to sign up Medicare recipients for hospice and then falsely billing Medicare for home health services.
- UK-specific threats: In the UK, HMRC tax scams topped the list. Users reported receiving live and prerecorded fraud calls from HMRC impersonators, often threatening legal action for unpaid taxes.
- Threats across Europe: In Spain, residents were targeted with fake job offers, unsolicited employment opportunities, and fraud calls impersonating HR personnel from job matching website Indeed.
- Brazil and Chile lead in spam calls: Consumers in Brazil and Chile received the highest volume of spam calls, averaging 28 per person per month. Both countries also have high fraud rates: 21% in Brazil and 25% in Chile.
- Germany sees lowest spam volume: Germans received only three spam calls per person per month, the lowest among the key countries analysed.
“As we reflect on the last quarter of 2024, it is apparent that AI-powered fraud is becoming more sophisticated than ever, posing a serious threat to consumers and businesses alike,” said Alex Algard, CEO of Hiya. “Our latest report reveals that scammers continue exploiting lucrative tactics — like Medicare, Amazon, and Deepfake Impersonation scams — underscoring the urgent need for greater awareness of their tactics and stronger protections for all. Hiya remains at the forefront of this fight, pioneering AI-driven solutions to stay ahead of emerging threats.”
How Hiya is fighting back
Hiya Protect, powered by Adaptive AI and AI Voice Detection, remains the industry’s most advanced real-time fraud detection system, blocking billions of fraudulent calls before they reach consumers. As regulatory bodies worldwide work to combat phone scams, Hiya collaborates with carriers and OEMs to enhance protections against fraud.
Hiya report methodology
The Q4 2024 Global Call Threat Report is based on a representative sample of calls observed on the Hiya Voice Intelligence Network, which includes Samsung Smart Call-enabled devices and the Hiya mobile app. The spam ratios presented in this report reflect unknown calls outside an individual’s contact list that Hiya has identified and flagged as either fraud or nuisance. Additionally, the report incorporates insights from a January 2025 survey of 12,000 consumers across the US, Canada, the UK, Germany, France, and Spain.
Click here to download the full Q4 2024 Global Call Threat Report.
This story was first published on Businesswire.com