Scammers used a real sheriff's captain's identity and an AI-cloned voice to impersonate law enforcement in Osceola County, Florida, according to Sheriff Chris Blackmon. Callers claimed residents had missed jury duty or faced arrest warrants, then demanded money to avoid legal consequences.
At least 40 people have received calls from someone claiming to be a county deputy in recent months, FOX 35 Orlando reported on 19 October. That figure covers reported deputy-impersonation calls, not 40 confirmed voice-cloning incidents. The sheriff's office knew of no successful payments at the time of the report.
A Real Captain's Identity Supports the Impersonation
One voicemail identifies its caller as Captain Steve Moser and asks the recipient to contact the sheriff's office, according to ClickOrlando/News 6. Moser is a real captain, and his photograph appears on the agency's website.
That gives the false caller an identity a recipient can find through an official source. Looking up the name can establish that Moser works for the agency, but it cannot establish that he is the person speaking.
'They cloned his voice and was using Steve's picture as well to say it was him making the phone call, and it was not', Blackmon said.
The combination goes beyond an unknown caller simply claiming to be a police officer. It borrows an actual official's name, appearance and, according to the sheriff, voice to support the impersonation.
The Federal Trade Commission describes the same persuasive use of sound in consumer guidance published in April 2024. It explains that scammers clone voices to make requests for money or information more believable, including calls that appear to come from a boss or family member.
Arrest Threats Put Pressure on Recipients
In the wider scheme described by Blackmon, callers begin with claims about missed jury duty or an outstanding warrant. They then demand payment, sometimes in cryptocurrency, presenting it as necessary to avoid arrest or other legal consequences.
Those demands are described across the reported calls. They are not all established as contents of the particular voicemail identifying its caller as Moser, which News 6 describes as asking the recipient to make contact.
The technology can make the impersonation harder to judge by sound alone. Cybersecurity expert Perry Carpenter demonstrated voice cloning to News 6 using audio taken from videos posted online.
'Any person with a little bit of curiosity can clone a voice with a good 20 seconds of audio', Carpenter said.
His demonstration explains a way publicly available recordings can be used to imitate someone. It does not establish where the callers obtained Moser's audio or which system they used.
FOX 35 reported that investigators were continuing to examine the calls. The agency's lack of known successful payments describes what authorities knew at that point, rather than a completed accounting of every recipient's experience.
A Familiar Voice Is Not Proof of Identity
Blackmon said residents should be suspicious of anyone claiming to represent law enforcement who demands payment over the phone. His warning addresses the caller's request, rather than asking recipients to distinguish a synthetic voice by listening closely.
'We will never ask you for your money, we'll never ask you to move it to crypto for sure', he said.
The sheriff's office advises recipients to hang up and contact the agency directly using the number published on its official website. A number supplied by the suspicious caller does not provide an independent check.
News 6's guidance also warns against relying on contact details in the voicemail or a text message. The FTC similarly recommends verifying a suspicious voice-cloning call through a separate, trusted contact route.
For residents facing a claimed warrant or jury-duty demand, that means reaching the actual sheriff's office independently. Its staff can check the claim without requiring the recipient to decide whether the voice on the original call sounds like Captain Moser.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is AI voice cloning?AI voice cloning is a technology that allows the replication of a person's voice using artificial intelligence.
- How can I protect myself from voice cloning scams?Be cautious of unsolicited calls demanding money, verify the caller's identity through official channels, and never provide personal information or payment over the phone.
- What should I do if I receive a suspicious call claiming to be from law enforcement?Hang up and contact the agency directly using the number published on its official website to verify the claim.
