AI-Powered Impersonation of Secretary of State Marco Rubio Raises Cybersecurity Concerns

An AI Imposter of Marco Rubio Is Going Rogue on Signal

Secretary of State Marco Rubio (Credit: Bloomberg / Contributor / Bloomberg via Getty Images) An unknown person is using AI to impersonate Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Signal and has contacted at least five government officials. They've left voicemails and sent text messages to foreign ministers, a US governor, and a member of Congress, "with the goal of gaining access to information or accounts," according to a State Department cable, as reported by The Washington Post. The faux Rubio began their campaign in mid-June by creating a Signal account with the display name "[email protected]." That's not Rubio's real email address, but the communications might be more convincing than a phone call, for example, because they are not in real-time. US authorities believe the individual is attempting to manipulate powerful officials and used AI software to mimic Rubio's voice and writing style. Many clips of Rubio speaking and communicating are available publicly on the web, which someone could theoretically use to train an AI. Scammers have been using this technique for years to impersonate an elderly person's grandchild and ask for money, CBS reports. The incident is under investigation. It underscores why apps like Signal are not truly secure, a lesson Secretary of Defense Pete Hesgeth learned the hard way in March when he added a journalist to a group chat about war plans. Former President Biden called for a ban on AI impersonation after a robocall deepfaking his voice was used to discourage primary voters in New Hampshire. But ironically, the robocall wasn't the work of scammers or foreign propagandists. Instead, a Democratic political consultant named Steve Kramer admitted that he orchestrated the robocalls, ostensibly to bring attention to the threat of AI voice impersonation. Earlier this year, someone also hacked the phone of White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and called senators, governors, and executives, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Rubio Impersonator Uses AI, Signal to Contact Foreign Officials

Someone pretending to be Secretary of State Marco Rubio used AI-generated voice technology and a fake Signal account to contact foreign officials and at least one member of Congress, the latest case of impostors mimicking senior US officials. A State Department cable dated July 3 said an unknown person left voice and text messages for at least five people, including "three foreign ministers, a US governor and a US member of Congress" after creating a Signal account that pretended to be Rubio's in mid-June.

Rubio impersonator used AI in calls to foreign ministers, cable shows

WASHINGTON, July 8 (Reuters) - An imposter used an artificially generated voice to impersonate Secretary of State Marco Rubio in contacts with three foreign ministers and two U.S. politicians, according to a cable seen by Reuters on Tuesday. In mid-June, the person contacted the ministers, a U.S. governor and a member of Congress via the Signal messaging app, it said. Voicemails were left in two instances and a text message in a third instance invited the targeted person to communicate on Signal, the cable said. "The actor likely aimed to manipulate targeted individuals using AI-generated text and voice messages, with the goal of gaining access to information or accounts," the cable said. The Washington Post first reported the campaign. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The State Department cable, dated July 3, was sent to all diplomatic and consular posts and suggests that staff warn external partners about fake accounts and impersonations. "There is no direct cyber threat to the department from this campaign, but information shared with a third party could be exposed if targeted individuals are compromised," it said. The cable referred to a second effort in April that was attributed to a Russia-linked hacker who conducted a spear phishing campaign targeting think tanks, Eastern European activists and dissidents and former State Department officials. The perpetrator copied a fake "@state.gov" email address on the messages as well as logos and branding used by State's Bureau of Diplomatic Technology, it said. "The actor demonstrated extensive knowledge of the department's naming conventions and internal documentation," it said. In that campaign, the person posed as a State Department official in messages sent to private gmail accounts. The State Department said industry partners attributed that campaign to a cyber actor associated with the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service. Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk; Writing by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab Suggested Topics:Cybersecurity Humeyra Pamuk Thomson Reuters Humeyra Pamuk is a senior foreign policy correspondent based in Washington DC. She covers the U.S. State Department, regularly traveling with U.S. Secretary of State. During her 20 years with Reuters, she has had postings in London, Dubai, Cairo and Turkey, covering everything from the Arab Spring and Syria's civil war to numerous Turkish elections and the Kurdish insurgency in the southeast. In 2017, she won the Knight-Bagehot fellowship program at Columbia University's School of Journalism. She holds a BA in International Relations and an MA on European Union studies.

US state department tightens cyber security after Marco Rubio impersonation

The US Department of State has said it was tightening its cyber security after an imposter used artificial intelligence to impersonate secretary of state Marco Rubio and contact at least three foreign ministers. The department was "aware of this incident and is currently monitoring and addressing the matter", said spokesperson Tammy Bruce. "The department takes seriously its responsibility to safeguard its information and continuously take steps to improve the department's cyber security posture to prevent future incidents," Bruce said, adding she could provide no more details "for security reasons". In an embarrassing security breach, the Rubio impersonator contacted the foreign ministers of unnamed countries, a US governor and a member of Congress by sending them voice and text messages, according to the Washington Post. The person used AI-powered software to mimic Rubio's voice and writing style. A state department cable dated July 3, which was cited by several US media outlets, said the authorities believe the culprit was trying to manipulate government officials "with the goal of gaining access to information or accounts". He or she used both text messaging and the Signal messaging app to contact the foreign ministers and other officials. The campaign began in mid-June when the imposter created a Signal account using the display name "[email protected]" to contact foreign and domestic diplomats and politicians. The FBI recently announced that since April, malicious actors had been impersonating senior US officials to target individuals, "many of whom are current or former senior US federal or state government officials and their contacts". The campaign was, it said, designed to "elicit information or funds". The agency said the actors had been sending text messages and AI-generated voice messages -- techniques known as "smishing" and "vishing", respectively -- that claim to come from a senior US official. Rubio has been targeted in this way before. In the spring, a deepfake video appeared showing the secretary of state saying he wanted to cut off Ukraine's access to Elon Musk's Starlink internet service. The Ukrainian government later rebutted the claim. The Wall Street Journal in May reported someone had hacked the phone of White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and begun calling and messaging senators, governors and business executives while pretending to be her. The White House and the FBI investigated the incident, although the matter was played down by President Donald Trump, who said Wiles was "an amazing woman" who "can handle it".

Impostor uses AI to impersonate Rubio and contact foreign and US officials

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The State Department is warning U.S. diplomats of attempts to impersonate Secretary of State Marco Rubio and possibly other officials using technology driven by artificial intelligence, according to two senior officials and a cable sent last week to all embassies and consulates. The warning came after the department discovered that an impostor posing as Rubio had attempted to reach out to at least three foreign ministers, a U.S. senator and a governor, according to the July 3 cable, which was first reported by The Washington Post. The recipients of the scam messages, which were sent by text, Signal and voice mail, were not identified in the cable, a copy of which was shared with The Associated Press. One of the officials said the hoaxes had been unsuccessful and "not very sophisticated." Nonetheless, the second official said the department deemed it "prudent" to advise all employees and foreign governments, particularly as efforts by foreign actors to compromise information security increase. The officials were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. "There is no direct cyber threat to the department from this campaign, but information shared with a third party could be exposed if targeted individuals are compromised," the cable said. The FBI warned in a public service announcement this past spring of a "malicious text and voice messaging campaign" in which unidentified "malicious actors" have been impersonating senior U.S. government officials. The scheme, according to the FBI, has relied on text messages and AI-generated voice messages that purport to come from a senior U.S. official and that aim to dupe other government officials as well as the victim's associates and contacts. It is the second high-level Trump administration official to face such AI-driven impersonation. The government was investigating after elected officials, business executives and other prominent figures received messages from someone impersonating President Donald Trump's chief of staff, Susie Wiles. Text messages and phone calls went out from someone who seemed to have gained access to the contacts in Wiles' personal cellphone, The Wall Street Journal reported in May. Some of those who received calls heard a voice that sounded like Wiles, which may have been generated by artificial intelligence, according to the newspaper. The messages and calls were not coming from Wiles' number, the report said. ___ AP writer Eric Tucker contributed to this report.

Marco Rubio's AI imposter has been contacting senior government officials

An imposter has been using AI to impersonate Secretary of State Marco Rubio, . The fraudster has been contacting various government officials, including three foreign ministers, a US governor and a member of Congress. These officials received voice messages and texts that mimicked Rubio's voice and writing style. An official department memo says the imposter "left voicemails on Signal for at least two targeted individuals" and invited the others to join the platform. We still don't know who is behind this mimicry, but the memo from the Department of State says that the goal was to gain "access to information or accounts" of these government officials. It also suggests that diplomats throughout the world should "warn external partners that cyber threat actors are impersonating State officials and accounts." The unknown actor posing as Rubio reportedly created a Signal account in June with the display name "[email protected]." We don't know if the AI facsimile of Rubio managed to get any sensitive information. The Department of State is also tracking a second campaign in which a bad actor impersonated a government official. This one started in April, , and involves a "Russia-linked cyber actor" who "conducted a spear phishing campaign targeting personal Gmail accounts" by posing "as a fictitious Department official." The person behind this effort reportedly attempted to convince officials to link a third-party application to their Gmail accounts that "would almost certainly grant the actor persistent access." This follows an that warned of "malicious actors" impersonating "senior US officials to target individuals, many of whom are current or former senior US federal or state government officials and their contacts." The message went on to tell anyone receiving "a message claiming to be from a senior US official" that it might not be authentic.

Imposter used AI to pose as Marco Rubio and contact foreign ministers

The State Department said it is aware of the incident and is taking steps to improve its cybersecurity defences. The incident was first revealed in the State Department cable that was dated 3 July and sent to "all diplomatic and consular posts," CBS News reported. The cable stated that a false Signal account was created in mid-June with the display name [email protected]. That account contacted at least five people. "The actor left voicemails on Signal for at least two targeted individuals, and in one instance, sent a text message inviting the individual to communicate on Signal," the cable stated, as reported by CBS. The cable did not identify the individuals that were contacted or what the AI-generated voice of Rubio said in those voicemails. "There is no direct cyber threat to the department from this campaign, but information shared with a third party could be exposed if targeted individuals are compromised," the cable said. In a statement, the State Department said it is investigating the matter. It added that it "continuously takes steps to improve the department's cybersecurity posture to prevent future incidents." The incident was first reported by the Washington Post on Tuesday. The newspaper reported that US authorities do not know who was behind the impersonations, but they believe the person's goal was to manipulate powerful government officials to gain access to information. The Associated Press reported, citing a US official who spoke anonymously, that the hoaxes were unsuccessful and "not very sophisticated". Secretary of State Rubio has not commented on the incident. AI technology has been used in the past to impersonate US politicians. Last year, a fake robocall claiming to be from former President Joe Biden had urged voters to skip the New Hampshire primary election ahead of the 2024 US election. Officials in New Hampshire said at the time that the calls "appear to be an unlawful attempt to disrupt" the election, and that they were investigating the matter.

Someone Is Calling Trump Officials Using an AI Clone of Marco Rubio's Voice

Luckily, no one wants to talk to Marco so they just send it to voicemail. Government employees keep getting calls from Secretary of State Marco Rubioâ€"which would be bad enough, frankly, having to talk to that guy. But making matters worse, it seems that it's not actually Marco Rubio but instead, an unidentified caller who is mimicking his voice with artificial intelligence software, according to a report from the Washington Post. The technologically advanced crank caller has reportedly contacted at least three foreign ministers, a governor, and a member of Congress, according to the report. The contact attempts, which have included calls and texts, have come through Signal, and the scammers have apparently been able to set up a pretty believable impersonation campaign. Calls and messages have come through with the display name "[email protected]," which certainly seems like official-looking contact information but, per WaPo, is not actually Rubio's real email address. So far, the caller has left multiple voicemails and sent several texts inviting recipients to chat on Signal. According to a State Department cable that WaPo got its hands on, it is believed that whoever is behind the campaign is attempting to do some social engineering, “with the goal of gaining access to information or accounts." The calls, in this case, are not coming from inside the house, as the State Department and the FBI have been unable to identify who is behind them, which is... not great. Another detail that can be filed under "not ideal" is that Rubio is not the only official getting the imposter treatment. Per the cable, there have been impersonation attempts of other State Department officials via email, as well. This has not exactly been a banner start to the second Trump administration on the cybersecurity front. While humans are always the weakest link in the security chain and susceptible to error, these guys have really been scoring own goals since the day they stepped into office. There was the high-profile Signalgate disaster that saw since-ousted national security advisor Mike Waltz accidentally add the editor of The Atlantic to a Signal chat discussing an attack on Yemen, followed by the revelation that the Trump national security apparatus apparently uses Signal all the time despite warnings from the Pentagon not to do that. And then it turned out the modified version of Signal that group of ghouls uses got hacked. Then there was the incident back in May when White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles seemingly had her phone compromised, as government officials who were contacts in her device started receiving messages from unknown numbers, which kinda just came and went like it was no big deal. Trump basically dismissed it out of hand, like there was no way anyone would fall for such a thing. Let's hope these folks don't have the nuclear launch codes written on sticky notes they keep on their desk.

A Marco Rubio impostor is using AI voice to call high-level officials

The unknown individual contacted at least five government officials, including three foreign ministers, a U.S. governor and a member of Congress, according to a State Department cable. An impostor pretending to be Secretary of State Marco Rubio contacted foreign ministers, a U.S. governor and a member of Congress by sending them voice and text messages that mimic Rubio's voice and writing style using artificial intelligence-powered software, according to a senior U.S. official and a State Department cable obtained by The Washington Post. U.S. authorities do not know who is behind the string of impersonation attempts but they believe the culprit is likely attempting to manipulate powerful government officials "with the goal of gaining access to information or accounts," according to a cable sent by Rubio's office to State Department employees. Using both text messaging and the encrypted messaging app Signal, which the Trump administration uses extensively, the impostor "contacted at least five non-Department individuals, including three foreign ministers, a U.S. governor, and a U.S. member of Congress," said the cable, dated July 3. The impersonation campaign began in mid-June when the impostor created a Signal account using the display name "[email protected]" to contact unsuspecting foreign and domestic diplomats and politicians, said the cable. The display name is not his real email address. "The actor left voicemails on Signal for at least two targeted individuals and in one instance, sent a text message inviting the individual to communicate on Signal," said the cable. It also notes that other State Department personnel were impersonated using email. When asked about the cable, the State Department responded that it would "carry out a thorough investigation and continue to implement safeguards to prevent this from happening in the future." Officials declined to discuss the contents of the messages or the names of the diplomats and officials who were targeted. The incident with Rubio comes after several recent impersonation attempts targeting high-profile U.S. officials. In May, someone breached the phone of White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and began placing calls and messages to senators, governors and business executives while pretending to be Wiles, the Wall Street Journal reported. The episode spurred a White House and FBI investigation, although President Donald Trump dismissed its significance, saying Wiles is "an amazing woman" who "can handle it." The FBI declined to comment about the Rubio impostor. Impersonating a federal officer or employee to deceive or obtain something is a crime. Hany Farid, a professor at the University of California Berkeley who specializes in digital forensics, said an operation of this nature does not require a sophisticated actor, but they are often successful because government officials can be careless about data security. "This is precisely why you shouldn't use Signal or other insecure channels for official government business," he said. In March, then-White House national security adviser Michael Waltz inadvertently added a journalist to a Signal group chat discussing highly sensitive U.S. attack plans in Yemen, an incident that contributed to Waltz's ouster and curtailed the widespread use of the app for national security group meetings. Rubio has since been appointed as Trump's national security adviser. But on an individual level, government officials in the United States and elsewhere continue to use the app for personal and professional communications given its reliable end-to-end encryption. Once malicious actors obtain phone numbers linked to an official's Signal account, the impersonation part is easy, said Farid. "You just need 15-to-20 second of audio of the person, which is easy in Marco Rubio's case. You upload it to any number of services, click a button that says 'I have permission to use this person's voice,' and then you type what you want him to say," said Farid. "Leaving voicemails is particularly effective because it's not interactive." It is unclear if any of the officials responded to the impersonator. The State Department cable urged U.S. diplomats to report "any impersonation attempts" to the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, which is investigating the matter, and for non-State Department officials to alert the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center. In May, the FBI issued a warning that "malicious actors" were impersonating senior U.S. officials in an "ongoing malicious text and voice messaging campaign" intended to target other senior government leaders and their contacts. The campaign relied on AI-generated voice messages, according to the FBI, and was likely meant to "elicit information or funds." "If you receive a message claiming to be from a senior U.S. official," the FBI warned at the time, "do not assume it is authentic." Other forms of impersonation have spread across the globe. In June, Ukraine's Security Service announced that Russian intelligence agents were impersonating the agency in an effort to recruit Ukrainian civilians for sabotage missions. The same month, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre and the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security said scammers were utilizing artificial intelligence to impersonate senior government officials in a call- and text-driven campaign to steal sensitive information or money, or to insert malware into computer networks.

Impostor uses AI to impersonate Rubio and contact foreign and US officials

WASHINGTON -- The State Department is warning U.S. diplomats of attempts to impersonate Secretary of State Marco Rubio and possibly other officials using technology driven by artificial intelligence, according to two senior officials and a cable sent last week to all embassies and consulates. The warning came after the department discovered that an impostor posing as Rubio had attempted to reach out to at least three foreign ministers, a U.S. senator and a governor, according to the July 3 cable, which was first reported by The Washington Post. The recipients of the scam messages, which were sent by text, Signal and voice mail, were not identified in the cable, a copy of which was shared with The Associated Press. "The State Department is aware of this incident and is currently monitoring and addressing the matter," department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told reporters. "The department takes seriously its responsibility to safeguard its information and continuously take steps to improve the department's cybersecurity posture to prevent future incidents." She declined to comment further due to "security reasons" and the ongoing investigation. It's the latest instance of a high-level Trump administration figure targeted by an impersonator, with a similar incident revealed in May involving President Donald Trump's chief of staff, Susie Wiles. The misuse of AI to deceive people is likely to grow as the technology improves and becomes more widely available, and the FBI warned this past spring about "malicious actors" impersonating senior U.S. government officials in a text and voice messaging campaign. The hoaxes involving Rubio had been unsuccessful and "not very sophisticated," one of the officials said. Nonetheless, the second official said the department deemed it "prudent" to advise all employees and foreign governments, particularly as efforts by foreign actors to compromise information security increase. The officials were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. "There is no direct cyber threat to the department from this campaign, but information shared with a third party could be exposed if targeted individuals are compromised," the cable said. The FBI has warned in a public service announcement about a "malicious" campaign relying on text messages and AI-generated voice messages that purport to come from a senior U.S. official and that aim to dupe other government officials as well as the victim's associates and contacts. This is not the first time that Rubio has been impersonated in a deepfake. This spring, someone created a bogus video of him saying he wanted to cut off Ukraine's access to Elon Musk's Starlink internet service. Ukraine's government later rebutted the false claim. Several potential solutions have been put forward in recent years to the growing misuse of AI for deception, including criminal penalties and improved media literacy. Concerns about deepfakes have also led to a flood of new apps and AI systems designed to spot phonies that could easily fool a human. The tech companies working on these systems are now in competition against those who would use AI to deceive, according to Siwei Lyu, a professor and computer scientist at the University at Buffalo. He said he's seen an increase in the number of deepfakes portraying celebrities, politicians and business leaders as the technology improves. Just a few years ago, fakes contained easy-to-spot flaws -- inhuman voices or mistakes like extra fingers -- but now the AI is so good, it's much harder for a human to spot, giving deepfake makers an advantage. "The level of realism and quality is increasing," Lyu said. "It's an arms race, and right now the generators are getting the upper hand." The Rubio hoax comes after text messages and phone calls went to elected officials, business executives and other prominent figures from someone who seemed to have gained access to the contacts in Wiles' personal cellphone, The Wall Street Journal reported in May. Some of those who received calls heard a voice that sounded like Wiles, which may have been generated by AI, according to the newspaper. The messages and calls were not coming from Wiles' number, the report said. The government was investigating.

AI scammer posing as Marco Rubio targets officials in growing threat

An unknown fraudster has used artificial intelligence to impersonate the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, contacting at least five senior officials. According to a state department cable first seen by the Washington Post and confirmed by the Guardian, the impostor sent fake voice messages and texts that mimicked Rubio's voice and writing style to those targets including three foreign ministers, a US governor and a member of Congress. The cable, dated 3 July, said the impostor "left voicemails on Signal for at least two targeted individuals" and sent text messages inviting others to communicate on the platform. It's still a mystery who is behind the Rubio scam, but the cable reads that the goal had been "gaining access to information or accounts" of powerful government officials. "The State Department is aware of this incident and is currently investigating the matter," said a senior state department official. "The Department takes seriously its responsibility to safeguard its information and continuously takes steps to improve the department's cybersecurity posture to prevent future incidents. For security reasons, and due to our ongoing investigation, we are not in a position to offer further details at this time." The threat of AI impersonators has become increasingly common across government agencies. The state department cable included details that the actor impersonating Rubio created the account in mid-June and was similar to other activity in May when someone impersonated other senior US government officials. That is likely a reference to the impersonator who pretended to be White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and reached out to her personal contacts and one lawmaker. David Axelrod, who served as senior adviser to Barack Obama, said the AI scam using Rubio was "only a matter of time" and urged urgent action to defend against such attacks. "A Marco Rubio impostor is using AI voice to call high-level officials," Axelrod wrote on X. "This is the new world in which we live and we'd better figure out how to defend against it because of its implications for our democracy and the world."

Rubio impersonation campaign underscores broad risk of AI voice scams

Why it matters: The threats from bad actors harnessing quickly evolving voice-cloning technology stretch beyond the typical "grandparent scam," with a string of high-profile incidents targeting or impersonating government officials. Driving the news: U.S. authorities don't know who is behind the campaign, in which an imposter claiming to be Rubio reportedly contacted three foreign ministers, a member of Congress and a governor, the Washington Post first reported. Context: With just seconds of audio, AI voice-cloning tools can copy a voice that's virtually indistinguishable from the original to the human ear. Flashback: The accessibility of voice cloning tech has exploded in recent years, with hundreds of tools available, said Vijay Balasubramaniyan, the CEO and founder of Pindrop, which specializes in voice fraud prevention. Between the lines: The Trump administration is particularly vulnerable to these types of scams due to its lax personal security practices and massive cuts to the country's defensive cyber operations. The intrigue: Government-issued phones typically have more advanced identity authentication tools and operate on private government networks -- making it easier to stop suspicious activities before they come in. Reality check: Most cybercriminals don't even need to use AI -- people are still falling for the same old tricks, including texts from fake job recruiters. Go deeper: AI voice-cloning scams: A persistent threat with limited guardrails

State Department warns diplomats of AI impostor posing as Marco Rubio

The warning came after the department discovered that an impostor posing as Rubio had attempted to reach out to at least three foreign ministers, a U.S. senator and a governor, according to the July 3 cable, which was first reported by The Washington Post. The recipients of the scam messages, which were sent by text, Signal and voice mail, were not identified in the cable, a copy of which was shared with The Associated Press. "The State Department is aware of this incident and is currently investigating the matter," it said. "The department takes seriously its responsibility to safeguard its information and continuously takes steps to improve the department's cybersecurity posture to prevent future incidents." It declined to comment further due to "security reasons" and the ongoing investigation. One of the officials said the hoaxes had been unsuccessful and "not very sophisticated." Nonetheless, the second official said the department deemed it "prudent" to advise all employees and foreign governments, particularly as efforts by foreign actors to compromise information security increase. The officials were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. "There is no direct cyber threat to the department from this campaign, but information shared with a third party could be exposed if targeted individuals are compromised," the cable said. The FBI warned in a public service announcement this past spring of a "malicious text and voice messaging campaign" in which unidentified "malicious actors" have been impersonating senior U.S. government officials. The scheme, according to the FBI, has relied on text messages and AI-generated voice messages that purport to come from a senior U.S. official and that aim to dupe other government officials as well as the victim's associates and contacts. The government was investigating after elected officials, business executives and other prominent figures received messages from someone impersonating President Donald Trump's chief of staff, Susie Wiles. Text messages and phone calls went out from someone who seemed to have gained access to the contacts in Wiles' personal cellphone, The Wall Street Journal reported in May. Some of those who received calls heard a voice that sounded like Wiles, which may have been generated by artificial intelligence, according to the newspaper. The messages and calls were not coming from Wiles' number, the report said. ___ AP writer Eric Tucker contributed to this report.

AI Marco Rubio impersonator 'contacted US officials on Signal'

A catfish posing as Marco Rubio using an AI voice disguiser contacted senior government officials on the messaging app Signal. The imposter, who has not been identified by the authorities, sent voice and text messages using artificial intelligence technology (AI) to mimic the US secretary of state's voice and speech patterns, The Washington Post reported. They contacted a member of Congress, a US governor and three foreign ministers, seemingly with the goal of "gaining access to information or accounts," authorities said. Mr Rubio is the second member of Donald Trump's administration to be impersonated using AI, after a catfish pretending to be Susie Wiles, the chief of staff, contacted Republican lawmakers earlier this year. In June, Mr Rubio's impersonator created a Signal account with the name "[email protected]" to contact foreign diplomats and politicians, according to a State Department cable. "The actor left voicemails on Signal for at least two targeted individuals and in one instance, sent a text message inviting the individual to communicate on Signal," it reads. It is likely to renew concerns about the use of the app by senior members of Mr Trump's administration after national security figures accidentally leaked US military plans to a journalist in March. The State Department said it would "carry out a thorough investigation and continue to implement safeguards to prevent this from happening in the future". FBI investigation into Wiles AI catfish The FBI opened an investigation in May when a catfish using AI to pose as Ms Wiles, the US president's chief of staff, texted and called her contacts asking for cash. Ms Wiles privately told colleagues that her phone had been hacked by and mined for contacts. One Republican lawmaker said they had been asked to compile a list of people to be pardoned by Mr Trump, while another was asked for a cash transfer. Hany Farid, a professor specialising in digital forensics at the University of California Berkeley, said the catfish attempts did not need to be particularly sophisticated to succeed when coupled with AI software. "This is precisely why you shouldn't use Signal or other insecure channels for official government business," he told The Washington Post. In March, Pete Hegseth, the US defence secretary, accidentally leaked US military plans to bomb Houthi rebels in Yemen to the journalist Jeffrey Goldberg when he was accidentally added to a Signal chat by Mike Waltz, then the US national security adviser. Mr Waltz was sacked by Mr Trump in May, then nominated as US ambassador to the UN. His confirmation hearings will reportedly take place next week.

An Unknown Entity Has Voice Cloned the Secretary of State and Is Calling High Level Officials

In a perfect example of why it's an absolutely terrible idea for high-level government officials to use personal cell phones, text messaging platforms, and apps like Signal, secretary of state Marco Rubio has fallen victim to a scammer who's been using AI to clone his voice and writing style. As the Washington Post reports, a July 3 State Department cable revealed that an impostor posing as Rubio had "contacted at least five non-Department individuals, including three foreign ministers, a US governor, and a US. member of Congress" with the "goal of gaining access to information or accounts." "The actor left voicemails on Signal for at least two targeted individuals and in one instance, sent a text message inviting the individual to communicate on Signal," the cable reads. While officials promised to "carry out a thorough investigation and continue to implement safeguards to prevent this from happening in the future," the incident highlights some glaring cybersecurity gaps among Trump administration officials. "This is precisely why you shouldn't use Signal or other insecure channels for official government business," University of California at Berkeley professor Hany Farid told WaPo, noting that government officials can have major blind spots when it comes to data security. The news also comes after the phone of White House chief of staff Susie Wiles was breached, triggering an FBI investigation. At the time, the intelligence agency warned that "malicious actors" were impersonating US officials as part of an "ongoing malicious text and voice messaging campaign." In an even more incriminating instance earlier this year, The Atlantic's editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, was accidentally added to a group text message between key national security advisers as they discussed an upcoming military strike in Yemen. According to Goldberg, an account related to Rubio was included in the group chat, meaning this month's impersonation attempt wasn't the first high-profile operational security blunder of his short tenure. Despite his poor cybersecurity record, Rubio has since been appointed as the president's national security advisor. The use of Signal, in particular, opens officials up to scammers. Impersonating voices in the age of generative AI is child's play and doesn't require any particularly sophisticated tools. "You just need 15 to 20 seconds of audio of the person, which is easy in Marco Rubio's case," Farid told WaPo. "You upload it to any number of services, click a button that says 'I have permission to use this person's voice,' and then you type what you want him to say." Given the larger trend of dismissing conventional and far more secure communications channels, we should expect Trump administration officials to continue to fall victim to impersonation attempts. Trump himself is setting the bar pretty low. The president has a long track record of using personal cell phones, leaving him exposed to hackers from China and Iran.

Rubio imposter used AI to message high-level officials: report

Washington (AFP) - An imposter posing as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio sent AI-generated voice and text messages to high-level officials and foreign ministers, a report said Tuesday, the latest American official to be targeted by impersonators. A cable from Rubio's office said the unidentified culprit was likely seeking to manipulate powerful officials "with the goal of gaining access to information or accounts," the Washington Post reported. The impostor contacted at least three foreign ministers, a US state governor, and a member of Congress using both text messaging and the encrypted messaging app Signal, according to the cable dated July 3. Starting in mid-June, the impostor created a Signal account using the display name "[email protected]" to contact the unsuspecting officials, it added. "The actor left voicemails on Signal for at least two targeted individuals and in one instance, sent a text message inviting the individual to communicate on Signal," said the cable. The contents of the messages were unclear. The cable added that other State Department personnel were impersonated using email. Responding to an AFP request for comment, the State Department said it was aware of the incident and was "currently investigating the matter." "The Department takes seriously its responsibility to safeguard its information and continuously takes steps to improve the department's cybersecurity posture to prevent future incidents," said a senior State Department official. The FBI has previously warned that since April, "malicious actors" have impersonated senior US officials to target their contacts, including current and former federal or state government officials. "The malicious actors have sent text messages and AI-generated voice messages -- techniques known as smishing and vishing, respectively -- that claim to come from a senior US official in an effort to establish rapport before gaining access to personal accounts," the FBI said in May. In May, President Donald Trump said an impersonator breached the phone of White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. US senators, governors and business executives received text messages and phone calls from someone claiming to be Wiles, the Wall Street Journal reported. The breach prompted a White House and FBI investigation, but Trump played down the threat, saying Wiles "can handle it." Senior Trump administration officials have courted criticism for using Signal and other unofficial channels for government work. In March, then-national-security-adviser Michael Waltz inadvertently added a journalist to a Signal chat group discussing US strikes in Yemen. The episode led to Waltz's ouster. With proliferating AI voice cloning tools -- which are cheap, easy to use and hard to trace -- disinformation researchers fret the impact of audio deepfakes to impersonate or smear celebrities and politicians. Last year, a robocall impersonating then-President Joe Biden stoked public alarm about such deepfakes. The robocall urged New Hampshire residents not to cast ballots in a Democratic primary, prompting authorities to launch a probe into possible voter suppression and triggered demands from campaigners for stricter guardrails around generative AI tools.

"Unknown actor" using AI to impersonate Rubio, State Department cable shows

An "unknown actor" created a Signal account and used artificial intelligence to impersonate Secretary of State Marco Rubio and contact government and foreign officials, according to a State Department cable obtained by CBS News. The cable was sent to "All Diplomatic and Consular Posts," and alerted them that the account was created in mid-June 2025 with the display name [email protected]. "The individual contacted at least five non-Department individuals, including three foreign ministers, a U.S. governor, and a U.S. member of Congress," the cable said. "The actor left voicemails on Signal for at least two targeted individuals, and in one instance, sent a text message inviting the individual to communicate on Signal." In a statement, the State Department said it is "aware of this incident and is currently investigating this matter." The Department said it "continuously takes steps to improve the department's cybersecurity posture to prevent future incidents."

An AI voice impersonated Marco Rubio in messages to high-level officials, State Department says

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in Washington, D.C., on April 25.Jacquelyn Martin / AP file An unknown individual or group using artificial intelligence impersonated Secretary of State Marco Rubio to contact at least five high-level government officials in mid-June, according to a State Department cable obtained by NBC News. The cable was first reported by The Washington Post. "The actor likely aimed to manipulate targeted individuals using Al-generated text and voice messages, with the goal of gaining access to information or accounts," the memo said. At least three foreign ministers, a U.S. governor and a member of Congress all received outreach from the fake Rubio, the cable said. It sent at least one of the targets a text message urging them to speak on Signal, and sent Signal voice messages to at least two of them. The sender used the display name [email protected], which is not a functional email address, as their Signal nickname. Signal allows users to choose their own nickname, and such a nickname would not necessarily mean that the user has access to that email address. Rubio was among the senior Trump administration officials who were a part of "Signalgate," an incident in March in which the group discussed sensitive military strikes in Yemen after inadvertently adding Atlantic Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg into a group chat on the Signal app . The cable noted that the campaign to impersonate Rubio echoed another effort to impersonate unnamed senior U.S. officials that was investigated by the FBI in May. The White House confirmed that month that someone had been impersonating President Donald Trump's chief of staff, Susie Wiles, in texts and phone calls to government officials. A senior state department official confirmed the clandestine campaign and said the agency is investigating the matter. "The department takes seriously its responsibility to safeguard its information and continuously takes steps to improve the department's cybersecurity posture to prevent future incidents," the official said. "For security reasons, and due to our ongoing investigation, we are not in a position to offer further details at this time." It was not immediately clear how the individual or group impersonated Rubio, but foreign disinformation operations have begun to routinely use generative AI chat apps like ChatGPT in order to create text in convincing English. Meanwhile, AI-enabled voice cloning technology has rapidly become extremely sophisticated, and it can be very difficult for many people to distinguish a synthetic voice from a real person's voice. While there is no direct cyber threat to the State Department from the campaign, the diplomatic cable warned that "information shared with a third party could be exposed if targeted individuals are compromised." The cable signed by Rubio was sent to all domestic and overseas U.S. diplomatic posts last week, said U.S. diplomats may warn their external partners that cyber threat actors are impersonating State officials and accounts.

Imposter uses AI to pose as Rubio in messages to US and foreign officials

An imposter using AI tools to pose as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio attempted to contact foreign ministers and a US senator and governor, the State Department said on Tuesday. Officials said the hoax was unsuccessful, but warned that high-level figures in the Trump administration are being repeatedly targeted by deepfake scams. The State Department is warning US diplomats of attempts to impersonate Secretary of State Marco Rubio and possibly other officials using technology driven by artificial intelligence, according to two senior officials and a cable sent last week to all embassies and consulates. The warning came after the department discovered that an impostor posing as Rubio had attempted to reach out to at least three foreign ministers, a US senator and a governor, according to the July 3 cable, which was first reported by The Washington Post. The recipients of the scam messages, which were sent by text, Signal and voice mail, were not identified in the cable, a copy of which was shared with The Associated Press. "The State Department is aware of this incident and is currently monitoring and addressing the matter," department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told reporters. "The department takes seriously its responsibility to safeguard its information and continuously take steps to improve the department's cybersecurity posture to prevent future incidents." She declined to comment further due to "security reasons" and the ongoing investigation. It's the latest instance of a high-level Trump administration figure targeted by an impersonator, with a similar incident revealed in May involving President Donald Trump's chief of staff, Susie Wiles. The misuse of AI to deceive people is likely to grow as the technology improves and becomes more widely available, and the FBI warned this past spring about "malicious actors" impersonating senior US government officials in a text and voice messaging campaign. The hoaxes involving Rubio had been unsuccessful and "not very sophisticated", one of the officials said. Nonetheless, the second official said the department deemed it "prudent" to advise all employees and foreign governments, particularly as efforts by foreign actors to compromise information security increase. The officials were not authorised to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. "There is no direct cyber threat to the department from this campaign, but information shared with a third party could be exposed if targeted individuals are compromised," the cable said. The FBI has warned in a public service announcement about a "malicious" campaign relying on text messages and AI-generated voice messages that purport to come from a senior US official and that aim to dupe other government officials as well as the victim's associates and contacts. This is not the first time that Rubio has been impersonated in a deepfake. This spring, someone created a bogus video of him saying he wanted to cut off Ukraine's access to Elon Musk's Starlink internet service. Ukraine's government later rebutted the false claim. Several potential solutions have been put forward in recent years to the growing misuse of AI for deception, including criminal penalties and improved media literacy. Concerns about deepfakes have also led to a flood of new apps and AI systems designed to spot phonies that could easily fool a human. The tech companies working on these systems are now in competition against those who would use AI to deceive, according to Siwei Lyu, a professor and computer scientist at the University at Buffalo. He said he's seen an increase in the number of deepfakes portraying celebrities, politicians and business leaders as the technology improves. Just a few years ago, fakes contained easy-to-spot flaws - inhuman voices or mistakes like extra fingers - but now the AI is so good, it's much harder for a human to spot, giving deepfake makers an advantage. "The level of realism and quality is increasing," Lyu said. "It's an arms race, and right now the generators are getting the upper hand." The Rubio hoax comes after text messages and phone calls went to elected officials, business executives and other prominent figures from someone who seemed to have gained access to the contacts in Wiles' personal cellphone, The Wall Street Journal reported in May. Some of those who received calls heard a voice that sounded like Wiles, which may have been generated by AI, according to the newspaper. The messages and calls were not coming from Wiles' number, the report said. The government was investigating.

Report: Marco Rubio impersonator used AI to contact government officials - SiliconANGLE

Report: Marco Rubio impersonator used AI to contact government officials A bad actor posing as U.S. State Secretary Marco Rubio has contacted multiple government officials, the Washington Post reported today. The impostor used artificial intelligence to imitate Rubio's voice and writing style. The impersonation campaign began in June when the bad actor opened a Signal account with the display name "[email protected]." Using the account, the Rubio impostor reportedly contacted at least five government officials. The individuals included a U.S. governor, a member of Congress and three foreign ministers. Two of the targeted officials received AI-generated Signal voicemails intended to sound like Rubio. In another incident, the bad actor sent a text message that asked an official to join Signal. It's believed that the campaign was meant to gain "access to information or accounts" of the targeted individuals. The State Department is asking diplomats to "warn external partners that cyber threat actors are impersonating State officials and accounts." According to a cable cited by the Post, external partners are advised to report impersonation attempts to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center. State Department staffers, meanwhile, will report suspicious correspondence to diplomatic security officials. "The department takes seriously its responsibility to safeguard its information and continuously takes steps to improve the department's cybersecurity posture to prevent future incidents," the State Department said in a statement. "For security reasons, and due to our ongoing investigation, we are not in a position to offer further details at this time." CNN reported today that the State Department is also tracking a second impersonation campaign. In April, a bad actor posing as a "fictitious Department official" started targeting government employees with phishing emails. The goal was to trick them into linking their Gmail accounts to an application that "would almost certainly grant the actor persistent access." The phishing campaign reportedly involved a Russia-linked threat actor. The actor "demonstrated extensive knowledge of the Department's naming conventions and internal documentation," according to a cable cited by CNN. In May, the FBI warned that hackers were impersonating U.S. officials to target former federal and state government staffers. The same month, the Wall Street Journal reported that a bad actor had hacked the phone of White House chief of staff Susie Wiles. The hacker used the device to contact politicians and business executives while pretending to be Wiles. "These campaigns typically employ a multi-pronged approach, starting with phishing attacks sent from seemingly legitimate email accounts and escalating to AI-generated deepfake voicemails," said Steve Cobb, the chief information security officer of cybersecurity startup SecurityScorecard Inc. "This is not the first time threat actors have impersonated state officials, and it likely won't be the last."

Impostor uses AI to impersonate Rubio and contact foreign and US officials

WASHINGTON -- The State Department is warning U.S. diplomats of attempts to impersonate Secretary of State Marco Rubio and possibly other officials using technology driven by artificial intelligence, according to two senior officials and a cable sent last week to all embassies and consulates. The warning came after the department discovered that an impostor posing as Rubio had attempted to reach out to at least three foreign ministers, a U.S. senator and a governor, according to the July 3 cable, which was first reported by The Washington Post. The recipients of the scam messages, which were sent by text, Signal and voice mail, were not identified in the cable, a copy of which was shared with The Associated Press. One of the officials said the hoaxes had been unsuccessful and "not very sophisticated." Nonetheless, the second official said the department deemed it "prudent" to advise all employees and foreign governments, particularly as efforts by foreign actors to compromise information security increase. The officials were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. "There is no direct cyber threat to the department from this campaign, but information shared with a third party could be exposed if targeted individuals are compromised," the cable said. The FBI warned in a public service announcement this past spring of a "malicious text and voice messaging campaign" in which unidentified "malicious actors" have been impersonating senior U.S. government officials. The scheme, according to the FBI, has relied on text messages and AI-generated voice messages that purport to come from a senior U.S. official and that aim to dupe other government officials as well as the victim's associates and contacts. It is the second high-level Trump administration official to face such AI-driven impersonation. The government was investigating after elected officials, business executives and other prominent figures received messages from someone impersonating President Donald Trump's chief of staff, Susie Wiles. Text messages and phone calls went out from someone who seemed to have gained access to the contacts in Wiles' personal cellphone, The Wall Street Journal reported in May. Some of those who received calls heard a voice that sounded like Wiles, which may have been generated by artificial intelligence, according to the newspaper. The messages and calls were not coming from Wiles' number, the report said. ___ AP writer Eric Tucker contributed to this report.

US secretary of state impersonated by AI: foreign ministers and Congress members contacted

As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. TweakTown may also earn commissions from other affiliate partners at no extra cost to you. Artificial intelligence-powered tools are causing a growing problem of impersonation, and one example can be added to the seemingly growing pile of cases where AI is used to assume the identity of an individual. That example is US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. A new report from The Washington Post has revealed an imposter pretending to be Rubio contacted several foreign ministers, a US governor, members of Congress, and other officials by sending them voice and text messages that mimicked the voice of Rubio, and somewhat more impressively, his writing style. Currently, authorities don't know who is behind the impersonation attempt, or what the end goal was of the attempts at contacting the government officials. However, authorities do believe the goal of the impersonation was for the person behind it to gain access to government information or accounts. The Washington Post cites an unknown senior US official and a State Department cable for the source of news, with the source saying the imposter "contacted at least five non-Department individuals, including three foreign ministers, a U.S. governor, and a U.S. member of Congress." Notably, the imposters' campaign began in mid-June when the Signal account "[email protected]" was created, and shortly after, messages and voice mails began being sent from this address to the targets within the US government. The State Department was asked about the impersonation and the agency said it will "carry out a thorough investigation and continue to implement safeguards to prevent this from happening in the future." Unfortunately, impersonation of an individual's voice is much easier than one may think, with Hany Farid, a professor at the University of California at Berkeley informed The Washington Post that all someone needs is approximately 15 to 20 seconds of audio of the impersonation target, which in the case of Rubio is very easy to obtain, and then upload to one of the many readily available AI tools designed to replicate audio, and boom. You now have an AI trained in the voice of Rubio. "You just need 15 to 20 seconds of audio of the person, which is easy in Marco Rubio's case. You upload it to any number of services, click a button that says 'I have permission to use this person's voice,' and then you type what you want him to say," said Farid. "Leaving voicemails is particularly effective because it's not interactive."

Impostor uses AI to impersonate Rubio and contact foreign and US officials

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The State Department is warning U.S. diplomats of attempts to impersonate Secretary of State Marco Rubio and possibly other officials using technology driven by artificial intelligence, according to two senior officials and a cable sent last week to all embassies and consulates. The warning came after the department discovered that an impostor posing as Rubio had attempted to reach out to at least three foreign ministers, a U.S. senator and a governor, according to the July 3 cable, which was first reported by The Washington Post. The recipients of the scam messages, which were sent by text, Signal and voice mail, were not identified in the cable, a copy of which was shared with The Associated Press. "The State Department is aware of this incident and is currently investigating the matter," it said. "The department takes seriously its responsibility to safeguard its information and continuously takes steps to improve the department's cybersecurity posture to prevent future incidents." It declined to comment further due to "security reasons" and the ongoing investigation. One of the officials said the hoaxes had been unsuccessful and "not very sophisticated." Nonetheless, the second official said the department deemed it "prudent" to advise all employees and foreign governments, particularly as efforts by foreign actors to compromise information security increase. The officials were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. "There is no direct cyber threat to the department from this campaign, but information shared with a third party could be exposed if targeted individuals are compromised," the cable said. The FBI warned in a public service announcement this past spring of a "malicious text and voice messaging campaign" in which unidentified "malicious actors" have been impersonating senior U.S. government officials. The scheme, according to the FBI, has relied on text messages and AI-generated voice messages that purport to come from a senior U.S. official and that aim to dupe other government officials as well as the victim's associates and contacts. It is the second high-level Trump administration official to face such AI-driven impersonation. The government was investigating after elected officials, business executives and other prominent figures received messages from someone impersonating President Donald Trump's chief of staff, Susie Wiles. Text messages and phone calls went out from someone who seemed to have gained access to the contacts in Wiles' personal cellphone, The Wall Street Journal reported in May. Some of those who received calls heard a voice that sounded like Wiles, which may have been generated by artificial intelligence, according to the newspaper. The messages and calls were not coming from Wiles' number, the report said. ___ AP writer Eric Tucker contributed to this report.

Rubio impersonator used AI voice to contact US, foreign officials

A person used AI to impersonate Secretary of State Marco Rubio, targeting U.S. and foreign officials in a phishing scheme. An imposter using an artificially generated voice impersonated Secretary of State Marco Rubio and contacted multiple foreign ministers and American politicians. A July 3 diplomatic cable sent from the department warned that the imposter contacted at least three foreign ministers, a U.S. governor and a U.S. member of Congress, the Washington Post first reported. "The actor likely aimed to manipulate targeted individuals using AI-generated text and voice messages, with the goal of gaining access to information or accounts," the cable said, per Reuters. The cable pointed to a separate incident in April that was attributed to a Russia-linked hacker who conducted a spear phishing campaign targeting think tanks, Eastern European activists and dissidents and former State Department officials. In a statement to USA TODAY on Tuesday, July 8, the State Department said it is investigating the incident. "The Department takes seriously its responsibility to safeguard its information and continuously takes steps to improve the department's cybersecurity posture to prevent future incidents," the statement, attributed to a senior State Department official, said. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce echoed this sentiment at a July 8 press briefing. The State Department did not reveal further details about the identities of the foreign ministers and U.S. politicians contacted. Neither the cable nor the department indicated a suspected perpetrator. How did the impersonator reach officials? The impersonator created a Signal account using the display name "[email protected]," which is not Rubio's State Department email, according to the Washington Post. In mid-June, the person contacted the ministers, a U.S. governor and a member of Congress via the Signal messaging app. Voicemails were left in two instances, and a text message in a third instance invited the targeted person to communicate on Signal. The Washington Post reported that other State Department personnel were impersonated by email. The administration was previously embroiled in scandal for the use of Signal to share detailed secret plans for a U.S. strike on Iran-backed militants in Yemen via a group chat consisting of top Trump administration officials that accidentally included The Atlantic magazine editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg. That group included users whose names matched Trump's top officials, including Rubio, Vice President JD Vance, Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Brian McCormack, a member of the National Security Council. The Wall Street Journal reported in May that federal authorities were investigating an attempt to impersonate Wiles. "The White House takes the cybersecurity of all staff very seriously, and this matter continues to be investigated," a White House spokeswoman told the outlet at the time.

Impostor Uses AI to Impersonate Rubio and Contact Foreign and US Officials

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The State Department is warning U.S. diplomats of attempts to impersonate Secretary of State Marco Rubio and possibly other officials using technology driven by artificial intelligence, according to two senior officials and a cable sent last week to all embassies and consulates. The warning came after the department discovered that an impostor posing as Rubio had attempted to reach out to at least three foreign ministers, a U.S. senator and a governor, according to the July 3 cable, which was first reported by The Washington Post. The recipients of the scam messages, which were sent by text, Signal and voice mail, were not identified in the cable, a copy of which was shared with The Associated Press. One of the officials said the hoaxes had been unsuccessful and "not very sophisticated." Nonetheless, the second official said the department deemed it "prudent" to advise all employees and foreign governments, particularly as efforts by foreign actors to compromise information security increase. The officials were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. "There is no direct cyber threat to the department from this campaign, but information shared with a third party could be exposed if targeted individuals are compromised," the cable said. The FBI warned in a public service announcement this past spring of a "malicious text and voice messaging campaign" in which unidentified "malicious actors" have been impersonating senior U.S. government officials. The scheme, according to the FBI, has relied on text messages and AI-generated voice messages that purport to come from a senior U.S. official and that aim to dupe other government officials as well as the victim's associates and contacts. It is the second high-level Trump administration official to face such AI-driven impersonation. The government was investigating after elected officials, business executives and other prominent figures received messages from someone impersonating President Donald Trump's chief of staff, Susie Wiles. Text messages and phone calls went out from someone who seemed to have gained access to the contacts in Wiles' personal cellphone, The Wall Street Journal reported in May. Some of those who received calls heard a voice that sounded like Wiles, which may have been generated by artificial intelligence, according to the newspaper. The messages and calls were not coming from Wiles' number, the report said. ___ AP writer Eric Tucker contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Rubio Impersonator Used AI in Calls to Foreign Ministers, Cable Shows

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -An imposter used an artificially generated voice to impersonate Secretary of State Marco Rubio in contacts with three foreign ministers and two U.S. politicians, according to a cable seen by Reuters on Tuesday. In mid-June, the person contacted the ministers, a U.S. governor and a member of Congress via the Signal messaging app, it said. Voicemails were left in two instances and a text message in a third instance invited the targeted person to communicate on Signal, the cable said. "The actor likely aimed to manipulate targeted individuals using AI-generated text and voice messages, with the goal of gaining access to information or accounts," the cable said. The Washington Post first reported the campaign. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The State Department cable, dated July 3, was sent to all diplomatic and consular posts and suggests that staff warn external partners about fake accounts and impersonations. "There is no direct cyber threat to the department from this campaign, but information shared with a third party could be exposed if targeted individuals are compromised," it said. The cable referred to a second effort in April that was attributed to a Russia-linked hacker who conducted a spear phishing campaign targeting think tanks, Eastern European activists and dissidents and former State Department officials. The perpetrator copied a fake "@state.gov" email address on the messages as well as logos and branding used by State's Bureau of Diplomatic Technology, it said. "The actor demonstrated extensive knowledge of the department's naming conventions and internal documentation," it said. In that campaign, the person posed as a State Department official in messages sent to private gmail accounts. The State Department said industry partners attributed that campaign to a cyber actor associated with the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service. (Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk; Writing by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama )

Rubio imposter using AI in calls with foreign diplomats, US officials

Someone has been trying to impersonate Secretary of State Marco Rubio by using artificial intelligence (AI) to contact foreign leaders and U.S. lawmakers, according to multiple reports Tuesday. A memo from the State Department dated Thursday, which was obtained by The Associated Press, The Washington Post and other outlets this week, warned that an imposter posing as Rubio had reached out to at least three unidentified foreign ministers, a U.S. senator and a governor. None of the recipients were identified. The scam messages were reportedly sent via text, Signal and voicemail. "The State Department is aware of this incident and is currently investigating the matter," a spokesperson said in a message to The Hill. "The Department takes seriously its responsibility to safeguard its information and continuously takes steps to improve the department's cybersecurity posture to prevent future incidents." The State spokesperson added that additional details could not be provided because there is an ongoing investigation. The AP quoted one official at the department, who was not named, as describing the hoaxes as "not very sophisticated." Another told the outlet that the memo was meant as an advisory. The FBI issued a warning earlier this year about text messages and AI-generated voice messages supposedly from senior U.S. officials. "If you receive a message claiming to be from a senior U.S. official, do not assume it is authentic," the FBI cautioned. Rubio is at least the second top-level Trump administration official to face digital impersonation efforts this year. The White House and FBI launched an investigation in May into an alleged imposter's attempt to pose as chief of staff Susie Wiles in text messages and calls to Republican lawmakers and business leaders. The addition of Signal in the Rubio impersonation scheme follows news earlier this year that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used the private messaging app to relay military plans to other Cabinet officials and family members.

Troll Tried to Contact Foreign Ministers Using AI Marco Rubio

The days of verified Twitter users changing their names in order to impersonate celebrities, companies, and lawmakers -- previously at the risk of a permanent ban -- are a quaint stunt compared to what is possible now that the tools of unregulated artificial intelligence is in the hands of the bored and bad faith. The State Department is learning this the hard way. According to a Tuesday report from The Washington Post, an individual posing as Secretary of State Marco Rubio used AI software to mimic the secretary's voice and writing style. The individual, who has not yet been identified, contacted several foreign ministers, a member of Congress, and a U.S. governor. Most of the attempted outreach took place via Signal, the encrypted messaging app that attained political infamy after former White House National Security Adviser Michael Waltz inadvertently added a journalist to a group chat discussing strike plans against Yemen. According to a July 3 State Department cable obtained by the Post, the imposter sought to contact the officials "with the goal of gaining access to information or accounts." The person used the fake email address "[email protected]" as a display name and "left voicemails on Signal for at least two targeted individuals and in one instance, sent a text message inviting the individual to communicate on Signal." It's not the first time AI has been used in attempts to impersonate public officials. In May, the FBI warned of "an ongoing malicious text and voice messaging campaign" that used the emerging technology to impersonate senior U.S. officials in an attempt "to establish rapport before gaining access to personal accounts." In the aftermath of the 2024 election, a political consultant was charged with voter suppression and impersonation of a candidate after using AI to create a facsimile of former President Joe Biden's voice. The call discouraged New Hampshire voters from participating in the state's Democratic primary. In September of last year, former Senator Ben Cardin joined what he thought was a Zoom call with former Ukrainian Diplomat Dmytro Kuleba, whom he had met in the past. When he joined the call, Cardin quickly realized the individual on the other end of the line was not actually real -- but a deepfake of Kuleba looking to ask "politically charged questions in relation to the upcoming election." There has yet to be a major diplomatic or political scandal in the United States associated with undetected AI impersonations, but at this point it feels like it's only a matter of time.

Deepfake targets Trump administration! AI voice is used by imposter to contact foreign, U.S officials posing as Secretary of State Marco Rubio

Several potential solutions have been put forward in recent years to the growing misuse of AI for deception, including criminal penalties and improved media literacy. Concerns about deepfakes have also led to a flood of new apps and AI systems designed to spot phonies that could easily fool a human. US State Department is warning U.S. diplomats of attempts to impersonate Secretary of State Marco Rubio and possibly other officials using technology driven by artificial intelligence, according to two senior officials and a cable sent last week to all embassies and consulates. The warning came after the department discovered that an impostor posing as Rubio had attempted to reach out to at least three foreign ministers, a U.S. senator and a governor, according to the July 3 cable, which was first reported by The Washington Post. The recipients of the scam messages, which were sent by text, Signal and voice mail, were not identified in the cable, a copy of which was shared with The Associated Press. "The State Department is aware of this incident and is currently monitoring and addressing the matter," department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told reporters. "The department takes seriously its responsibility to safeguard its information and continuously take steps to improve the department's cybersecurity posture to prevent future incidents." She declined to comment further due to "security reasons" and the ongoing investigation. It's the latest instance of a high-level Trump administration figure targeted by an impersonator, with a similar incident revealed in May involving President Donald Trump's chief of staff, Susie Wiles. The misuse of AI to deceive people is likely to grow as the technology improves and becomes more widely available, and the FBI warned this past spring about "malicious actors" impersonating senior U.S. government officials in a text and voice messaging campaign. Marco Rubio is New Target The hoaxes involving Rubio had been unsuccessful and "not very sophisticated," one of the officials said. Nonetheless, the second official said the department deemed it "prudent" to advise all employees and foreign governments, particularly as efforts by foreign actors to compromise information security increase. The officials were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. "There is no direct cyber threat to the department from this campaign, but information shared with a third party could be exposed if targeted individuals are compromised," the cable said. The FBI has warned in a public service announcement about a "malicious" campaign relying on text messages and AI-generated voice messages that purport to come from a senior U.S. official and that aim to dupe other government officials as well as the victim's associates and contacts. This is not the first time that Rubio has been impersonated in a deepfake. This spring, someone created a bogus video of him saying he wanted to cut off Ukraine's access to Elon Musk's Starlink internet service. Ukraine's government later rebutted the false claim. How to Tackle AI Menace? Several potential solutions have been put forward in recent years to the growing misuse of AI for deception, including criminal penalties and improved media literacy. Concerns about deepfakes have also led to a flood of new apps and AI systems designed to spot phonies that could easily fool a human. The tech companies working on these systems are now in competition against those who would use AI to deceive, according to Siwei Lyu, a professor and computer scientist at the University at Buffalo. He said he's seen an increase in the number of deepfakes portraying celebrities, politicians and business leaders as the technology improves. Just a few years ago, fakes contained easy-to-spot flaws -- inhuman voices or mistakes like extra fingers -- but now the AI is so good, it's much harder for a human to spot, giving deepfake makers an advantage. The Rubio hoax comes after text messages and phone calls went to elected officials, business executives and other prominent figures from someone who seemed to have gained access to the contacts in Wiles' personal cellphone, The Wall Street Journal reported in May. Some of those who received calls heard a voice that sounded like Wiles, which may have been generated by AI, according to the newspaper. The messages and calls were not coming from Wiles' number, the report said. The government was investigating. FAQs Q1. Who is Marco Rubio? A1. Marco Rubio is Secretary of State. Q2. How to tackle AI deepfake? A2. Several potential solutions have been put forward in recent years to the growing misuse of AI for deception, including criminal penalties and improved media literacy. Concerns about deepfakes have also led to a flood of new apps and AI systems designed to spot phonies that could easily fool a human.

Fake 'Marco Rubio' AI impersonator contacts officials: Sparks international cybersecurity alert

The U.S. State Department issued a warning about AI impersonation. Someone used AI to pose as Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The impostor contacted officials, raising security concerns. Messages were sent via text and AI-generated voice mail. The State Department and FBI are investigating the incident. Officials emphasize vigilance against evolving digital threats. Similar scams targeted other U.S. officials recently. In a stunning development that underscores the growing threat of artificial intelligence in global diplomacy, the U.S. State Department has issued an urgent warning after an impostor used AI technology to convincingly impersonate Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The scammer contacted high-level officials in the United States and abroad, raising alarms about the security of digital communications among world leaders. According to a State Department cable distributed to all embassies and consulates, the impostor reached out to at least three foreign ministers, a U.S. senator, and a governor in mid-June. The messages, sent via text, Signal, and AI-generated voice mail, aimed to lure recipients into further conversation on encrypted platforms. The impersonator used a Signal account with the display name "[email protected]" -- a convincing but fake identifier designed to appear official and trustworthy. At least two officials received AI-generated voice messages that mimicked the Secretary's tone and cadence, while another was encouraged to move their conversation to Signal, a platform known for its strong encryption and privacy features. The State Department is actively investigating the incident but has not disclosed the identities of the targeted officials or the exact content of the messages, citing security concerns. While officials described the scam as "not very sophisticated," they emphasized the importance of vigilance in the face of evolving threats. A spokesperson from the State Department stated, "The department takes seriously its responsibility to safeguard its information and continuously takes steps to improve the department's cybersecurity posture to prevent future incidents." The State Department has alerted all employees and foreign governments to be on guard for similar attempts, urging them to verify the authenticity of any unexpected communications. Additionally, the FBI is investigating the matter, following earlier warnings this year about malicious actors using AI to impersonate U.S. officials in attempts to extract sensitive information or funds. This is not the first time senior U.S. officials have been targeted by digital impersonation scams. In May, someone posing as White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles contacted senators, governors, and business leaders using similar tactics involving AI-generated messages and fake accounts. The FBI has issued stern cautions: "If you receive a message claiming to be from a senior U.S. official, do not assume it is authentic."

Marco Rubio Impersonator Used AI To Contact 3 Foreign Ministers With The Intent To Gain 'Access To Information' -- State Department Reacts - Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG), Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL)

An AI-powered impersonation of Secretary of State Marco Rubio has raised alarm at the U.S. State Department after attempts were made to deceive several high-ranking officials. What Happened: An unknown actor used artificial intelligence to impersonate Rubio, creating a Signal account under the name "[email protected]," reported CNN, citing a cable. The impersonator contacted at least five individuals, including three foreign ministers, a U.S. governor and a member of Congress, aiming to gain "access to information or accounts." The cable warned U.S. diplomats globally of "two distinct campaigns" in which cyber actors were posing as State Department officials using email and messaging apps. See Also: Meta's AI Empire Grows -- Fueled By OpenAI, DeepMind, Apple Defectors "The actor likely aimed to manipulate targeted individuals using AI-generated text and voice messages," the cable noted. The State Department confirmed awareness of the incident and said it is investigating. "The department takes seriously its responsibility to safeguard its information and continuously takes steps to improve the department's cybersecurity posture to prevent future incidents," a spokesperson said Tuesday. Why It's Important: This AI-driven impersonation comes amid rising cyber threats linked to foreign adversaries. The cable also detailed a second Russia-linked campaign that involved phishing attempts targeting Gmail accounts of scholars, activists and journalists. Cybersecurity researchers, including Alphabet Inc.'s GOOG GOOGL Google's Threat Intelligence Group and the University of Toronto's Citizen Lab, say these targeted operations reflect growing sophistication by state-linked hackers like Russia's APT29. The FBI is investigating related incidents, including past impersonations of other senior U.S. officials. The State Department advised external partners to report any impersonation attempts to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, the report said. Last year, an AI-generated voice impersonating former President Joe Biden was used in a robocall that told New Hampshire voters not to cast their ballots in the state's primary election. Read Next: Tesla Made $2.76 Billion From ZEV Credits In 2024 In US But Trump's Tax Bill Just Killed This Revenue Stream Photo Courtesy: Maxim Elramsisy on Shutterstock.com Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. GOOGAlphabet Inc$175.35-1.24%Stock Score Locked: Edge Members Only Benzinga Rankings give you vital metrics on any stock - anytime. Unlock RankingsEdge RankingsMomentum27.81Growth86.66Quality85.14Value52.20Price TrendShortMediumLongOverviewGOOGLAlphabet Inc$174.40-1.35%Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs

Impersonation of Secretary of State Using AI Sparks Calls for Tighter Controls | PYMNTS.com

By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions. According to Reuters, the impersonator reached out via the encrypted messaging app Signal in mid-June, leaving voicemails and messages designed to mimic the top U.S. diplomat. The goal, per a diplomatic cable reviewed by Reuters, was likely to manipulate officials into revealing sensitive information or granting access to restricted systems. Per Reuters, at least three foreign ministers, a U.S. governor, and a member of Congress were among the targets of the deceptive campaign. In some instances, the attacker sent invitations to continue communication over Signal, potentially hoping to exploit trust in the platform's perceived security. "The actor likely aimed to manipulate targeted individuals using AI-generated text and voice messages with the goal of gaining access to information or accounts," the cable stated. The cable, dated July 3, was sent to all U.S. diplomatic and consular missions globally, advising personnel to alert external partners about ongoing impersonation threats. While no specific actor has been identified in the latest incident, the cable also referenced a separate phishing campaign from April, which officials have attributed to a cyber actor linked to Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service. In that case, the attacker crafted emails using a fake "@state.gov" domain and mimicked official U.S. State Department branding, targeting think tanks, former diplomats, and activists in Eastern Europe. According to Reuters, this earlier campaign demonstrated a high degree of familiarity with the State Department's internal systems and documentation. Related: Google's Gemini AI Preinstallation Deal with Samsung Sparks Antitrust Concerns A senior State Department official, speaking anonymously to Reuters, confirmed that the agency is actively investigating the June impersonation and emphasized the department's ongoing commitment to strengthening its cybersecurity defenses. "The Department takes seriously its responsibility to safeguard its information," the official said, noting that preventive measures are continually updated in response to emerging threats. Despite no direct cyber breach being reported, the cable warned that information could still be at risk if targeted individuals inadvertently shared data with the impostor. "There is no direct cyber threat to the department from this campaign," it stated, "but information shared with a third party could be exposed if targeted individuals are compromised." This latest episode arrives amid a broader wave of concern about AI-driven impersonation. Just weeks ago, The Wall Street Journal reported on an ongoing federal investigation into a similar attempt to impersonate White House senior adviser Susie Wiles, highlighting the expanding reach of AI in deception campaigns. The State Department's warning underscores a growing need for vigilance as artificial intelligence becomes more capable of replicating human speech and behavior.

AI-powered Rubio impersonator makes calls to foreign ministers, other...

A mysterious impersonator masquerading as Secretary of State Marco Rubio has reached out to three foreign ministers and two high-level US officials while imitating his likeness using AI, according to a report. The identity of the imposter is not yet known, but he seemingly has "the goal of gaining access to information or accounts," warned a July 3 missive sent to State Department employees, the Washington Post said. In addition to the three unidentified foreign ministers, the Rubio impersonator also made contact with a US governor and member of Congress, the report said. "The actor left voicemails on the private encrypted messaging app Signal for at least two targeted individuals and in one instance, sent a text message inviting the individual to communicate on Signal," the State Department warning said. Authorities believe that the ruse began sometime around mid-June and noted that the scammer set up a Signal account with the name "[email protected]" to correspond with the officials. That email is not Rubio's actual address. The imposter worked to imitate the secretary of state's writing style and voice when blasting out the messages, tapping into artificial-intelligence-powered software to do so, the Washington Post said. The State Department warning about the incidents did not make it clear whether any of the top officials who were contacted ever responded. Department employees were urged to alert the Bureau of Diplomatic Security about "any impersonation attempts." US officials vowed to "carry out a thorough investigation and continue to implement safeguards to prevent this from happening in the future." It is illegal to mimic a federal officer in a bid to gain confidential information. Neither the State Department nor FBI responded to the New York Post's requests for comment. Revelations about the Rubio imposter come on the heels of multiple high-profile impersonations. In May, a misfeasor gained access to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles' phone system and began reaching out to various politicians and business leaders, according to the Wall Street Journal. That same month, the FBI broadly warned about efforts to impersonate top US officials. "Since April 2025, malicious actors have impersonated senior US officials to target individuals, many of whom are current or former senior US federal or state government officials and their contacts," the FBI said. "If you receive a message claiming to be from a senior US official, do not assume it is authentic." In March, Signal was thrust into the political fray when a chat organized by former National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and including Rubio and other top Trump administration officials was accidentally leaked to an included journalist. The discussion involved a planned US attack on Yemen. The serious flub, dubbed "Signalgate," sparked controversy over top officials using the encrypted messaging service instead of other advanced more secure communications networks.

AI Voice Deepfake of Marco Rubio Targets Foreign Diplomats and U.S. Politicians

'The actor likely aimed to manipulate targeted individuals using AI-generated text and voice messages,' the State Department says. An individual using an AI-generated voice impersonated Secretary of State Marco Rubio to contact three foreign ministers and two U.S. politicians, according to a new report. In the deepfake campaign, which occurred in mid-June, the imposter contacted officials through the encrypted messaging app Signal while using the display name "[email protected]," The Washington Post reported. "The actor likely aimed to manipulate targeted individuals using AI-generated text and voice messages, with the goal of gaining access to information or accounts," a State Department cable read. The impostor "contacted at least five non-Department individuals, including three foreign ministers, a U.S. governor, and a U.S. member of Congress," said the cable, dated July 3. "The actor left voicemails on Signal for at least two targeted individuals and in one instance, sent a text message inviting the individual to communicate on Signal." The cable, which was distributed to all diplomatic and consular posts, cited a need for vigilance against impersonation efforts. It urged officials to warn external partners about fake accounts potentially being part of an information or cybersecurity threat. "There is no direct cyber threat to the department from this campaign, but information shared with a third party could be exposed if targeted individuals are compromised," the cable said. The advisory also referred to a separate incident in April attributed to a Russia-linked hacker. That individual conducted a phishing campaign that targeted think tanks, Eastern European activists and dissidents, as well as former State Department officials. According to the cable, the hacker used a fake "@state.gov" email address with official logos and branding to present emails as credible communications from the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Technology. "The actor demonstrated extensive knowledge of the department's naming conventions and internal documentation," the memo said. The Russia-linked campaign specifically involved messages sent to private Gmail accounts, with content designed to impersonate a State Department official. External partners later said the phishing attempt likely originated from a cyber actor believed to be associated with the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service.