Voice scam calls like that depicted by Thelma are becoming an ever-greater threat in an AI driven society.

However, they should still take some steps. When I read that they need to buy new stuff..it made my blood boil! So yeah..i do that…if only they would give some thought on this point….!! Magnolia Pictures presents their Magnolia One Sheet release of THELMA (92 minutes, C), in which 93 year-old Thelma Post (June Squibb) receives an urgent phone call purporting to come from her grandson claiming they need $10,000 following an accident and need an urgent bail money transfer to bail him out from jail with broken nose. She follows his instructions by quickly gathering and hiding away money around the home before sending to P.O. box 9182 where it will eventually reach Thelma’s grandson! Below is the address of PO Box 5. While this story was fictionalized for cinematic effect, such scam calls, also known as grandparents’ scams or family emergency scams are becoming ever more likely in an age of artificial intelligence. Last year alone, losses due to impostor fraud reached nearly $2.7 billion, according to estimates by the Federal Trade Commission of the U.S. Financial experts suggest ways of staying vigilant against scammers, such as freezing credit or obtaining power of attorney for vulnerable relatives.This strategy could reduce taxes in retirement Millions of student loan borrowers could see bills reduced next month Why the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment could decline 2025 The scam attempt that happened with real Thelma (now 103), who lives close by Josh Margolin was almost identical to what’s shown in the movie. In the film, Thelma embarks upon an adventurous mission involving scooter and firearm in an attempt to track down her scammers and recover her funds; unfortunately in real life her family stopped her before sending any funds abroad. “[T]he tension leading up to her act was something real and something I tried to portray in the film,” Margolin told CNBC. “She was at one point close to taking action herself but called my parents instead before doing anything drastic. “Scammers Prey on Fear and Urgency” Experts note that scams like Thelma was subjected to are becoming increasingly frequent. Imposter fraud was reported most frequently to the FTC in 2023 and increased reports of business and government impersonators were seen. Social media provides ample content for such scams thanks to developments such as Generative AI. With just seconds of audio from TikTok videos being run through them to alter voices as needed according to computer security company McAfee, any individual could run such schemes against an unsuspecting victim, using just audio from TikTok videos for making up dialogue – according to computer security company McAfee’s analysis of these scams shows how easily content can be harvested for these scams! Carolyn McClanahan, an independent financial adviser and physician from Jacksonville, Florida who founded Life Planning Partners.Typically AI voice scams mimic distress calls. No matter where it comes from – someone stranded by their car breaking down or someone calling from jail demanding bail money in another country – each call could come from someone close to your heart who needs cash immediately. McAfee conducted a 2023 survey which discovered that 25% of adult respondents have encountered some sort of AI voice scam; out of these victims 77% have lost money due to such schemes. This company conducted a poll with 7,054 adults from seven different countries – 1,009 of them were residents in the U.S. – polled about Thelma’s vulnerability as seen in her movie role. “They specifically target older individuals because as we get older we lose cognitive flexibility; meaning it takes us longer to make decisions and think through things,” according to McClanahan of CNBC’s Financial Advisor Council. “Scammers often employ techniques of fear and urgency in an attempt to coax victims to act immediately,” according to CFP Andrew Sivertsen. Additionally, younger individuals spending more time online are at greater risk as well. “To effectively deal with watching someone go through something like this, while also processing those feelings without adding further shame or embarrassment,” Margolin stated. One way of being proactive about this situation is forming an aging plan in your late 50s or early 60s with other family members included, according to McClanahan who does this work with clients so she knows who could act as financial surrogates later in life. “Waiting until someone experiences symptoms or cognitive issues causes them to be defensive and denial, fearing losing control and losing freedom.” McClanahan noted. “Basic security practices can go a long way towards protecting you. Sivertsen suggests freezing your credit and using multifactor authentication on social media and bank accounts as ways of shielding personal information from scammers.” Identity theft insurance can also help rectify compromised information, according to He. If someone in your family falls prey to scams, usa.gov/where-report-scams provides the means for reporting it directly. Don’t miss these insights from CNBC PRO!