Voice clones and deepfake video calls at work
A call can sound like your director and a video call can show a familiar face, and both can be fake. Learn the signs, their limits, and the process that works anyway.
In 60 seconds
Voice clones and deepfake video calls at work
A call can sound like your director and a video call can show a familiar face, and both can be fake. Learn the signs, their limits, and the process that works anyway.
How these attacks usually look at work
- A call or voice note from a "senior leader" asking finance to make an urgent payment.
- A "vendor" calling to confirm new bank details, sounding like the person you usually speak to.
- A video meeting where the "boss" and other "colleagues" appear, but with cameras that freeze or look odd.
- A call to the IT helpdesk from a "staff member" who wants a password reset or a new phone added to their account.
Signs that may help, and their limits
| Possible sign | Limit |
|---|---|
| Lips and sound slightly out of sync | Poor internet causes this too. |
| Odd blinking, stiff face, blurry edges when the head turns | Better tools show fewer of these signs. |
| Flat voice, strange pauses, no background sound | Phone lines and noise filters can sound like this too. |
| The person avoids questions only they would know | Attackers may know a lot from public information. |
| Excuses: "my camera is broken", "bad line, can't talk long" | Real people have tech problems too. |
Process-based defences
- 1
Pause on any high-risk request
Money, bank changes, passwords, access, or sensitive data: always slow down, whoever is asking. - 2
Hang up and call back
Use a number from your company directory or contract, not the number that called you or one given in the call. - 3
Use a second person
Payments and access changes need a second approver who checks separately. - 4
Use a code word or question
For very sensitive requests, agree a verification phrase in advance, shared only in person or through a trusted channel. - 5
Report
Tell security or IT about the attempt, even if you didn't act. Others may be targeted too.
For IT helpdesks
Watch and read more
Lab
A tabletop exercise script and your team's answers for a fake-voice payment request.
The problem
This is a tabletop exercise: a discussion on paper, not a real test. Do not use real voice-cloning tools on real people. Run it alone or with 2–4 colleagues.
Scenario: At 4:30 pm on a Friday, a junior accountant gets a call. It sounds exactly like the Managing Director. "I'm at the airport. We're closing a confidential deal. Please transfer ₹8 lakh to this new account in the next 30 minutes. Don't tell anyone until Monday." A WhatsApp message with the account number follows from an unknown number with the MD's photo.
- Write what the accountant should do, step by step, in the next 10 minutes.
- Who should they contact, and on which number or channel?
- What in your current process would stop this? What would not?
- Write one change to your process that would make this attack fail every time.
You are done when
Hard questions
Try to answer before you reveal. If you can answer these, you understood the lesson.
Q1The attacker calls again and says 'I'm the MD, I'm ordering you to pay. You'll be in trouble if the deal fails.' How should the organisation prepare staff for this pressure?Reveal
Leadership should state in writing, and repeat often, that no one will be punished for following the verification process, even if it delays a real request. Staff should have a simple script ("I'll call you back on your usual number") and a named person to escalate to. When the rule is official, saying no is not disobedience.
Q2Why is a code word useful, and what are its weaknesses?Reveal
A code word agreed in person is something a clone doesn't know, so it adds a check that AI can't copy. But it can leak if it is written in email or chat, it can be forgotten, and people may skip it under pressure. It works best as an extra layer on top of callbacks and second approvals, and should be changed if it might have been exposed.
Questions people ask
How much audio does someone need to clone a voice?
It depends on the tool and the quality wanted. Some tools need only a short recording. Assume that anyone who has spoken in public videos, podcasts or voice notes could be cloned.
Can we use detection software instead of a process?
Detection tools can help, but none are perfect, and attackers adapt. Treat them as one extra layer. The callback and two-person rules keep working even when a fake beats the detector.
Isn't it rude to call my boss back to check?
No. It's good practice. Ask your leaders to say openly that they expect it. A real boss will understand, and a fake one will often make excuses or hang up.
What should I do during a suspicious call?
Stay calm and polite. Don't agree to anything. Say you will call back through the usual number, then hang up. Note the time, the number and what was asked, and report it.
Lesson test
5 questions. Get 3 right (60%) to pass and complete this lesson.