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A text from a "senior official", then an AI voice: inside the impersonation campaign the FBI keeps flagging

26 October 2026 · 2 min read

In May 2025 the FBI warned that criminals were impersonating senior US officials with text messages and AI-generated voice messages. In December 2025 it updated the warning: the campaign was continuing, and it had been running since at least 2023, targeting state officials, White House and Cabinet-level figures, members of Congress, and their families and acquaintances.

You may not know a senator. But the playbook is the same one used against business owners, board members and anyone whose boss, donor or "important contact" might plausibly text them.

How it works

1. A friendly opener. A text or voice message arrives from someone who appears to be an important person. Voice messages may be AI-generated to sound like them.
2. Move to an encrypted app. The sender quickly asks to continue on Signal, Telegram or WhatsApp, where messages are harder for anyone else to see.
3. Build rapport. Talk of current events, a meeting with a powerful person, or a board seat being offered.
4. The ask. A verification code (which lets the criminal sync the victim's contacts to their own device), a copy of a passport, a wire transfer abroad, or an introduction to someone else.
5. Repeat. Stolen contacts are used to send the next wave of messages, now appearing to come from the previous victim.

Warning signs the FBI lists

• unexpected contact from someone important;
• a rapid push to switch apps;
• slightly wrong names, numbers, spellings or links;
• images or video with odd hands, faces or shadows;
• voice calls with lag, strange tone or word choice that doesn't sound like the person.

The defences that work

• Verify independently. Find the person's number from a trusted source and call them.
• Never hand over a two-factor code by text, email or messaging app, to anyone.
• Agree a code word with family members (and, for small teams, with whoever approves payments) to confirm identity on unusual requests.
• Don't send money, gift cards or crypto to someone you have only met online or by phone.
• Report to your security contact and at ic3.gov.

For small organizations

The "important person" in your world might be your executive director, your largest donor or your main client. Write down how real requests for money or documents are made in your organization, and make it normal to call back before acting. KnoxDefender flags messages that use a colleague's name from an outside address, and the "AI-generated impersonation and deepfake requests" course gives staff the words to say "let me call you back".

Sources

• FBI IC3 PSA I-121925-PSA: Senior U.S. Officials Continue to be Impersonated in Malicious Messaging Campaign (19 December 2025)
• FBI: Senior U.S. Officials Impersonated in Malicious Messaging Campaign (May 2025)

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