2025-05-15 (disclosed) · US

FBI warns of AI voice messages impersonating senior US officials, 2025

Disclosed by the affected organisation.

The FBI warned in May 2025 that since April 2025 malicious actors had sent texts and AI-generated voice messages claiming to come from senior US officials, targeting many current or former federal and state officials and their contacts, to gain access to personal accounts. In July 2025 US media reported a State Department cable saying an unknown actor using a Signal account with the display name marco.rubio@state.gov had contacted at least five people, including three foreign ministers. In December 2025 the FBI said activity dating back to 2023 had impersonated state, White House and Cabinet level officials, moving targets to Signal, Telegram or WhatsApp and asking for authentication codes, identity documents, money or introductions.

Timeline

1. 2025-04-01 From April 2025, according to the FBI, actors send texts and AI-generated voice messages posing as senior US officials.
2. 2025-05-15 The FBI issues a public service announcement on the campaign.
3. 2025-07-08 CBS News and others report a State Department cable on an AI-voice impersonation of Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Signal; the department says it is investigating.
4. 2025-12-19 The FBI updates its warning, saying the activity dates back to 2023 and also targets officials' family members and acquaintances.

Lessons

• Verify any message from a senior official through a number or channel you already know, not the one the message came from.
• Never share an authentication or device-pairing code, whoever asks for it.
• Treat a request to move a conversation to Signal, Telegram or WhatsApp as a warning sign.

Scam types: Senior official AI voice impersonation · Techniques: SMS phishing (smishing), Voice phishing (vishing)

Sources

1. FBI IC3 PSA: Senior US officials impersonated in malicious messaging campaign (Law enforcement, primary, accessed 2026-09-24)
2. FBI IC3 PSA: Senior U.S. officials continue to be impersonated in malicious messaging campaign (Law enforcement, primary, accessed 2026-09-24)
3. CBS News: 'Unknown actor' using AI to impersonate Rubio, State Department cable shows (News report, secondary, accessed 2026-09-24)