Police recently reminded the public that on unknown calls, if the other party stays silent, it is best to 'stay silent for three seconds' rather than speak first. The reason: scammers collect voiceprints and use AI voice cloning to impersonate you and defraud relatives.
In one 2025 case in Huangshi, Hubei, three elderly people were defrauded of 60,000 yuan after scammers cloned a 'grandchild's' voice. Voiceprint - like a fingerprint - is unique and stable, and AI can replicate it from just a few spoken words. Tsinghua expert Zheng Fang noted voiceprint recognition is already used in public security and finance for identity confirmation.
Experts advise: do not speak first on strange calls, vary your pronunciation if you must, and hang up to verify via official channels or family numbers. For suspected fraud, call the anti-fraud hotline 96110.
