A fraudster used advanced AI to impersonate US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He contacted important foreign ministers, a US governor, and a congressman. The fake messages perfectly copied Rubio’s voice and writing style using AI software, making them hard to detect.
The US State Department revealed in a cable that the scam started in mid-June. The impersonator created a Signal account named “[email protected]” and sent messages to at least five high-ranking officials. These included three foreign ministers from other countries, one US governor, and one member of Congress.
Officials do not yet know who is behind this scam. They believe the goal was to trick officials into revealing secret information or giving access to accounts. The State Department is investigating and working to strengthen security to stop such incidents.
The cable instructed US diplomats to immediately report any fake messages. It reminded everyone that pretending to be a US federal official is a serious crime. It is not clear if any targets replied to the fake messages, and details about the conversations remain secret.
This fraud is part of a growing trend. In May, hackers pretending to be the White House Chief of Staff contacted senators and business leaders. Experts warn that AI technology makes such scams easier and more dangerous, increasing risks for governments worldwide.