Family Codewords Stop AI Voice Scams Cold

Elizabeth Benz heard her 16-year-old son sobbing on the phone, saying his friend was dead. Then a stranger claimed he'd murdered the friend and would kill her son unless she brought $7,500 to a parking lot within the hour.

The Buffalo mom was already driving to meet the kidnapper when her older son reached the teen. He was safe at a football game. The voice on the phone wasn't her son at all. It was an AI deepfake scam.

"It was the most terror I've ever felt," Benz says. The craziest part? Her family already had a secret password for exactly this scenario. "It just didn't occur to me to ask for it," she admits. "These scams get you to an active place of panic where you can't think straight."

Americans lost $6.3 billion to AI-enabled scams in 2025 alone, up 26% from the previous year. Criminals use voice cloning technology to impersonate loved ones, CEOs, and authority figures with chilling accuracy. "The average consumer is not ready for this," says Hany Farid, co-founder of GetReal Security and a leading deepfake expert.

But there's a simple defense that scammers can't crack. A family codeword turns the tables in your favor instantly.

Farid and his wife have their own password. "If either of us gets an unusual call, we use it to verify identity," he says. Pick something memorable but hard to guess. Inside jokes work best. Save it for truly unusual requests like emergency money transfers or urgent crisis calls.

The password needs backup though. Scam expert Gary Schildhorn teaches people to spot three red flags: extreme time pressure, requests for untraceable payment like gift cards or Bitcoin, and attempts to isolate you from consulting others.

Why This Inspires

What makes this solution beautiful is its simplicity. You don't need expensive software or technical expertise. Five minutes choosing a codeword with your family could prevent devastating financial loss and emotional trauma.

The mental preparation matters just as much as the password itself. Experts recommend setting a phone reminder every three months to practice. Quiz your family on the codeword. Rehearse staying calm during emergency calls. Train yourself to pause, ask for verification, and consult someone you trust before acting.

Brian Long, co-founder of Adaptive Security, puts it plainly: "You need to train your mental model to prepare for this scenario." That mental muscle memory could be what saves you when panic strikes.

Benz now shares her story everywhere, hoping others will learn from her close call. "Awareness is the greatest tool," she says.

In a world where technology lets criminals weaponize your loved one's voice against you, a shared secret becomes an unbreakable shield.