Kolkata: a 67-year-old man transferred Rs 95,990 after a call in a voice matching an acquaintance; the Times of India reports it as an AI voice-cloning scam
A 67-year-old man from the Beleghata area of Kolkata was cheated of Rs 95,990, according to a Times of India report of 19 August 2026, after a call from an unknown number in a voice that sounded exactly like an acquaintance of his. The caller said a relative had been admitted to a private hospital and needed urgent money for treatment; believing the voice, the man made several online bank transfers within less than an hour. When he later contacted the real acquaintance, that person said he had made no call and asked for no money. The man filed a complaint at Beleghata police station, and police are checking the phone number, call records and bank accounts used. The newspaper describes the scammers as having used AI voice-cloning technology; no police finding, recording or tool is described, so the AI involvement is recorded as suspected.
AI involvement suspected · Causal attribution alleged · 1 source · Added 10/10/2026