Deepfake: Private individual, Canada 2023
A 73-year-old woman heard the voice of her grandson on the phone; he was supposedly in prison without his wallet and needed bail.
- Incident · 2023 · Saskatchewan (Regina), Canada
- Evidence: several media
- Deepfake
- Deception (social engineering)
- Fraud
- AI link
As of
What happened
The couple withdrew the daily limit of 3'000 Canadian dollars at a bank. At a second branch, a bank manager stopped them because another customer had received the same call and had recognised the fake.
Role of AI: According to reports, it is unclear where the voice sample came from.
- Affected
- Private individual (anonymous)
- Industry
- Private individual
- Loss
- CAD 3'000 withdrawn (further withdrawal prevented)
- Business interruption
- unknown
- Ransom demanded / paid
- unknown / unknown
- Data affected
- unknown
- Bankruptcy
- no
- Entry point
- Phone call with an AI-imitated voice of the grandson
What would cyber insurance have paid?
That depends on the terms. Whether those affected were insured: unknown.
We have not assigned any cyber insurance module to this case.
Overview based on public policy terms, as of 06.11.2026. Only your policy and its general terms and conditions (GTC) are binding. No confirmation of cover.
What we can learn
Attentive bank employees and calling relatives back on the known number prevent losses.
Sources
- AI scams designed to mimic voices of loved ones on rise (opens in a new window) The Washington Post (via Santa Fe New Mexican/PressReader) · 2023-03-06
- Scammers Use Voice Cloning AI to Trick Grandma Into Thinking Grandkid Is in Jail (opens in a new window) Futurism · 2023-03