Free checklist: runs in your browser
Is this call a scam?AI voice red-flags checker
TimeBinder adds a layer of protection against AI and human fraud and disputes. Tick what is true about the call and get clear next steps.
Your ticks stay on this page. It checks the situation, not the voice, because a cloned voice can sound perfect.
Tick what is true about the call, message or video call
Be honest about what was asked of you. The strongest scam signs are about what they want you to do.
Your ticks stay on this page. Nothing you tick is typed into a form or tied to your name.
Tick everything that is true about the call, message or video call
This checks the situation, not the voice. A cloned voice can sound perfect, so no checklist or listening test can tell you for certain whether a voice is real. What gives scams away is what they ask you to do.
What to do now
If money or codes already went out, act fast
Call your bank or card provider on the number printed on your card or statement, then report it. FTC ReportFraud (US) · FBI IC3 (US) · Action Fraud (UK) · Scamwatch (Australia). In other countries, use your national police or consumer authority.
Make a family safe word
A safe word is a question-and-answer you agree on in person with family or close colleagues. If someone calls in a panic asking for money, ask for it. A cloned voice will not know it.
Press the button for three random words to start from.
Agree it face to face. Never type it into a message, post it online or say it on a call you did not start.
How do you spot an AI voice scam? The short answer
You usually cannot hear it, so look at what is being asked. Scams that use cloned voices or fake video follow the same script as older ones: urgency, secrecy, fear, and a request to pay in a way that cannot be undone or to share a code.
The rule that beats any voice is simple: hang up, then call back on a number you already have. Agree a family safe word for emergencies.
Common scam moves, why they work and what to do
These patterns come up again and again in fraud reports. Any one of them is reason to stop.
| Scam move | Why it works | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| “It’s urgent, do it now” | Rushing stops you checking. | Pause. Real emergencies survive a five-minute call back. |
| “Don’t tell anyone” | Secrecy stops a second person spotting it. | Tell someone you trust. Secrecy is itself the warning. |
| Pay by gift card, crypto, wire or courier | Payments are hard to reverse. | Do not pay. Call your bank on the number on your card. |
| “Move your money to a safe account” | Moves your money to the criminal. | No genuine bank asks this. Hang up and call the bank back. |
| “Read me the code we just sent” | The code lets them into your account. | Never share one-time codes or install remote-access software. |
| A familiar voice or face in a panic | Voices and video can be copied, and fear overrides doubt. | Ask for the family safe word or a question only they know. Call them on their usual number. |
| A “boss” asking for a confidential wire | Targets staff who want to help. | Verify through a second channel and the normal approval process. |
This is real: a $129 million case
On 5 November 2026 the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York announced an indictment alleging that three men used AI to mimic the voices and images of company executives and of lawyers at major law firms, and tricked employees into wiring more than $129 million. The charges are allegations: the men have not been convicted, and extradition requests are pending. Read the Justice Department release, AP and NBC News.
Families are targeted too. See our plain-English guide to protecting yourself from AI forgeries for voice-clone calls, fake documents and where to report.
If a call asks for documents, keep your own dated originals
Scammers often follow a call with a fake invoice, a changed contract or a “confirmation” document. If you work with files that matter, keep the exact originals and record them when they are final.
- Keep the original file unedited.
- Make a TimeBind when it is final. Your browser makes the fingerprint and the file stays on your device.
- Later, compare any file you are shown with your original using the file comparison checker.
First Pooled TimeBind free, no card, then from US$5. An ASAP TimeBind is US$15.
What a TimeBind shows, and what it does not. It shows that an exact file existed no later than a recorded time and that a copy shown later still matches its fingerprint. It does not show who made the file, who owns it, that its contents are true, or whether AI was used to make or edit it. This is general information, not legal advice.
Scam voice red-flags checker: FAQ
Can this checker tell me if a voice is cloned?
No, and nothing you do by listening can tell you for certain. A cloned voice can sound exactly like someone you know. This checklist looks at the situation instead: urgency, secrecy, the way you are asked to pay, and whether they can answer something only the real person would know.
What should I do first if I get a suspicious call?
Hang up. Then call the person or organisation back on a number you already have, such as the one on your bank card, in your company directory or saved in your phone. Do not use a number the caller gave you, and do not redial the number that rang you.
What is a family safe word?
A word or question-and-answer you agree on in person with family or close colleagues. If someone calls in a panic asking for money, you ask for it. A cloned voice should not know it. Never type it into a message, post it online or say it on a call you did not start.
Why do scammers want gift cards, crypto or wire transfers?
Those payments are hard to reverse. A request to pay that way, to move money to a “safe account”, or to share a one-time code or install remote-access software is a classic scam move whoever is asking.
Is this about a real kind of fraud?
Yes. On 5 November 2026 the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York announced an indictment alleging three men used AI to mimic the voices and images of company executives and law-firm lawyers to steal more than $129 million. The charges are allegations. Everyday versions target families and bank customers.
Does TimeBinder help with scam calls?
Not directly. TimeBinder is for files: a TimeBind shows an exact file existed no later than a recorded time and that a copy still matches. It does not detect scams or fake voices. This checklist is free education. If a call asks you to send documents or approve a change, keep your own dated originals.
Where do I report a scam?
Call your bank first if money or codes went out. Then report it: FTC ReportFraud and the FBI’s IC3 in the US, Action Fraud in the UK, Scamwatch in Australia, or your national police or consumer authority elsewhere.
Related guides and tools
- Creator timestamping hubGuides for musicians, designers, writers and artists
- Spot AI fakes in 5 short lessonsA free mini-course on image labels, reverse search, voice-clone scams, unreliable video tells, and dated originals. No checker can reliably identify synthetic media.
- Check a suspicious voice message in 5 stepsA free mini-course: the ask, a pause, a second channel, saved recordings, and a dated record. No checker can reliably identify synthetic audio.
- Could you spot these viral AI fakes? (quiz)Ten questions about real cases
- Real or AI? Photo quizTen side-by-side photo pairs
- Protect yourself from AI forgeries and deepfakesVoice-clone calls, fake documents, where to report
- Was this file changed? File comparison checkerCheck whether two files are identical
- SHA-256 file hash checkerGet a file’s fingerprint in your browser
- Guides hubProtecting files, evidence and records against AI fraud
- All free toolsEvery free TimeBinder tool
Keep dated originals of the files that matter
Add a layer of protection against AI and human fraud and disputes: a dated, checkable record of the exact file you hold.
- Open the app and sign in with email or Google.
- Add your files. They stay on your computer.
- Seal them and download your Proof of Time certificates.
First Pooled TimeBind free, no card, then from US$5. See pricing.