Scammer Fakes Rubio’s Voice Using AI to Target Global Officials
(MENAFN) An individual posing as U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio leveraged artificial intelligence to send convincing voice and text messages to high-level political figures, according to a report published Tuesday by media.
The impersonator reached out to at least five prominent individuals — including three foreign ministers, a U.S. state governor, and a sitting member of Congress — using the encrypted app Signal and SMS messages that closely mimicked Rubio’s voice and communication style. This information comes from a State Department cable and a senior U.S. official cited in the report.
The deception campaign began in mid-June, when the perpetrator created a Signal account under the name “....” While formatted like a government email, the username was not linked to any official State Department account. The actor reportedly left voicemails and sent written messages urging recipients to continue discussions via Signal.
The same cable revealed that other State Department officials were also impersonated via email in what appears to be a broader digital subterfuge effort.
Officials from the State Department confirmed the security breach and said appropriate steps are being taken to manage the situation.
“The State Department is aware of this incident and is currently monitoring and addressing the matter,” 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.”
“For security reasons, we do not have any further details to provide at this time,” she added.
The FBI declined to issue a statement regarding the case.
This incident mirrors similar security breaches in recent months. In May, an unknown actor reportedly accessed the phone of White House senior adviser Susie Wiles and, impersonating her, contacted senators, governors, and business leaders. That case triggered investigations by both the White House and the FBI, media previously reported.
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