By Ashwani Mishra, Editor-Technology, 63SATS
In Mission: Impossible, Ethan Hunt’s team uses high-tech gadgets, deepfake masks, and voice modulators to infiltrate high-security environments and deceive their enemies.
What once seemed like Hollywood fantasy has now become an alarming reality—only this time, the criminals don’t need latex masks or spy gear. All they need is artificial intelligence.
In a daring cybercrime that could be straight out of a Mission: Impossible script, fraudsters used AI-powered voice cloning to impersonate Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto and scam Massimo Moratti, the former owner of soccer club Inter Milan.
The criminals fabricated an urgent government request, claiming the funds were needed to rescue kidnapped journalists in the Middle East. The deception was so convincing that Moratti wired the money without hesitation, believing he was aiding a critical national security operation.
But unlike the movie, there was no last-minute plot twist where the hero uncovers the deception before it’s too late. Instead, authorities had to race against time to trace the stolen funds—an effort that ultimately led them to a Dutch bank account, where the money was successfully frozen.
The Rise of AI Voice Cloning Scams
This incident is not an isolated case; it represents a growing global trend in cyber fraud. AI-powered voice cloning is becoming one of the most sophisticated tools in a fraudster’s arsenal. With just a few minutes of recorded speech—often taken from public interviews, speeches, or social media—AI can replicate a person’s voice with astonishing accuracy.
The scam targeting Moratti was particularly chilling because it was not a broad phishing attack but a carefully crafted operation aimed at Italy’s elite. The criminals didn’t just clone Crosetto’s voice; they built an entire scenario that seemed plausible, leveraging high-level deception tactics to manipulate their victims. Other high-profile figures, including fashion moguls Giorgio Armani and Prada co-founder Patrizio Bertelli, were also targeted, though they did not fall for the scheme.
The audacity of the attack raises an unsettling question: If some of Italy’s most powerful business leaders can be fooled, who is safe?
The AI Net
The criminals executed their fraud in three key stages:
- Target Selection – Instead of casting a wide net, they focused on influential individuals with access to large sums of money and a willingness to help national causes.
- AI Voice Cloning & Social Engineering – Using AI-generated voice replication, they impersonated Crosetto, creating a highly believable request for funds. By leveraging urgency and emotional manipulation, they convinced Moratti to act swiftly.
- Money Laundering & Recovery – The funds were transferred to a Dutch bank account, initially feared to be untraceable. However, swift action by law enforcement successfully froze the assets before they disappeared.
A Growing Global Threat
This isn’t the first time AI voice scams have made headlines. In 2023, a Hong Kong finance worker was tricked into transferring $25 million after receiving a deepfake video call featuring what he believed were his company’s top executives.
In the UK, a company executive wired $243,000 after receiving a fake phone call from his CEO. These cases highlight a terrifying evolution in cybercrime—where fraudsters no longer rely on crude email scams but instead use cutting-edge AI to exploit human trust.
Mission Possible: Fighting Back Against AI Fraud
In the Mission: Impossible universe, Ethan Hunt relies on teamwork, intelligence, and cutting-edge technology to stay ahead of the enemy. In the real world, governments, businesses, and individuals must adopt a similar mindset.
This time, authorities managed to recover the stolen funds.
Next time, will they be as lucky?
