LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A local mother is sharing a frightening experience in hopes of warning others about a new scam targeting families. Kim Alvey, a Louisville resident, received what she describes as the scariest call of her life on Tuesday afternoon. The call, which initially seemed like an emergency involving her daughter, turned out to be a sophisticated scam that used technology to impersonate her child’s voice.
Alvey was driving when she received a phone call from what appeared to be her 10-year-old daughter’s voice. The voice on the other end sounded distressed, claiming to have been involved in a car accident and urgently asking for help.
The voice then became frantic, pleading, “Mom, please help me! I just got in an accident. Somebody hit me, and you need to get here as soon as possible.” For a moment, Alvey believed the call was real. “I knew it was her voice. I recognized it immediately,” Alvey explained, noting that the voice sounded desperate and upset, almost as if her daughter was crying.
However, things quickly took a chilling turn. The voice then changed, revealing a man who identified himself as “Hector.” He threatened to kidnap Alvey’s daughter, warning her that if she called the police, she would never see her child again. The caller demanded that Alvey come to a specific location to retrieve her daughter.
Frantic and unable to think clearly, Alvey tried to add her husband to the call, but the scammer hung up before she could do so. She immediately called her daughter’s school, fearing the worst.
To her relief, Alvey’s daughter was safe at school. It was then that Alvey realized the entire incident had been a scam — but the emotional toll had already been immense.
“It felt like a nightmare. My heart was racing, and all I could think about was getting to her,” Alvey shared. “When I found out she was okay, I just hugged her for ten minutes, crying. I told her I wasn’t going to let her out of my sight.”
The FBI has issued a public warning about the increasing use of artificial intelligence in these types of scams. Criminals are now able to use voice-cloning technology to impersonate someone close to the victim, creating a sense of urgency and panic. In some cases, scammers have used short audio clips of a loved one’s voice to fabricate fake emergencies.
In a December 2023 public service announcement, the FBI outlined how scammers use AI-generated audio, text, images, and videos to impersonate people in distressing situations. These types of scams are designed to prey on the victim’s emotional response, making it harder for them to think logically and take precautions.
While Alvey remains shaken by the experience, she is speaking out to ensure others are aware of this growing threat. “I don’t know what the scammer wanted — whether it was money or something else — but they knew my name, my daughter’s name, my phone number, and they had her voice. It was all so believable, and that’s what made it so terrifying,” she said.
Experts recommend that families create a “safe word” that can be used in emergencies. This word would act as a way to verify that a caller is truly who they claim to be. Additionally, parents should be cautious about unsolicited calls, especially those involving loved ones in distress. It is also important to verify the location and identity of anyone requesting help before taking any action.
Alvey’s warning comes as part of a broader effort to raise awareness about the dangers of these voice-cloning scams, which are becoming more prevalent. Authorities encourage anyone who receives a similar call to report it to the FBI or local law enforcement.
While the number associated with the call that Alvey received showed a 502 area code, attempts by WDRB to contact the number yielded no response. The scammer reportedly called back multiple times after the initial exchange, furthering the distress.
“I just want to make sure that other parents don’t go through what I did,” Alvey said. “It’s a living nightmare, but if I can help prevent someone else from falling victim, then it’s worth it.”
As technology continues to evolve, so too do the tactics used by criminals, making it more important than ever for families to stay vigilant and educated about the potential risks.
