January saw a terrifying peak in AI voice cloning. Scammers began using three-second clips from social media to replicate a family member’s voice, calling elderly victims to claim they were in legal trouble and needed immediate bail money via crypto. These “Grandparent Scams” are more convincing than ever because the voice, tone, and even breathing patterns are perfectly replicated. Authorities advise families to establish a “safe word” to verify identities in urgent situations.