Voice cloning AI can now replicate your voice from just 3 seconds of audio. Your TikTok video, your voicemail greeting, that podcast interview—any of it provides enough material.
When a scammer calls your mother using your cloned voice, begging for emergency bail money, she’ll hear you. Every inflection. Every familiar pattern.
There’s a defense that’s simple, free, and nearly foolproof: family code words.
What Is a Family Code Word?
A code word (or phrase) is a secret that only your family knows. If someone calls claiming to be a family member and asks for money or sensitive information, you ask for the code word.
If they can’t provide it immediately, it’s not really them—no matter how convincing they sound.
Why This Works
AI can clone voices. It can generate realistic dialogue. It can even mimic emotional patterns.
What it cannot do: know a secret you’ve never said out loud publicly.
A scammer using a voice clone of you has access to:
- Your voice from public sources
- Possibly some personal details from data breaches or social media
- General knowledge about your family
They don’t have:
- Conversations that happened in private
- Family jokes never posted online
- Arbitrary secrets you’ve agreed upon
The code word exists in a space AI cannot reach.
How to Choose a Good Code Word
Criteria
Memorable: You need to remember it under stress Unique: Not guessable from public information Unsaid: Never posted on social media or mentioned publicly Uncommon: Not something you’d ever say by accident
Good Examples
- Random combination: “purple elephants dancing”
- Shared memory: Reference to a private family moment (“remember Aunt Martha’s pie”)
- Inside joke: Something meaningless to outsiders
- Question-answer pair: “What’s the secret?” “Grandma’s cat was named Whiskers”
Avoid These
- Pet names (often findable online)
- Birthdays or anniversaries (public records)
- Children’s or grandchildren’s names
- Favorite sports teams
- Anything mentioned on social media ever
Example Setup
Code phrase: “The purple rabbit jumped over the moon”
When to use: Any time someone claims to be family and asks for money, passwords, or to do something unusual.
How it works:
- Caller: “Mom, I’ve been in an accident and need $2,000 for the hospital.”
- Mom: “Oh honey, what’s our family phrase?”
- Legitimate caller: “The purple rabbit jumped over the moon. Mom, I really need help.”
- Scammer: “What? Mom, please, this is serious!” (They don’t know it.)
If they don’t know the phrase immediately, hang up and call that person directly on their known number.
Implementing with Your Family
Step 1: Have the Conversation
Choose a low-pressure moment. Explain that voice cloning scams are real and show an example if helpful (there are many news stories).
Sample script: “I read about these scams where criminals use AI to clone people’s voices. They’ve stolen millions by calling as someone’s grandchild or child asking for money. I thought we should have a family code word—that way if anyone ever gets a call like that, they can verify it’s really us.”
Step 2: Choose Together
Let everyone participate in choosing. This increases buy-in and ensures everyone remembers.
- Suggest a few options
- Let the most vulnerable family members (often elderly) have strong input
- Pick something that makes you all smile (easier to remember)
Step 3: Write It Down (Securely)
Not everyone will remember. Options:
- Write in a personal notebook (not on phone/computer)
- Store in password manager (if tech-savvy)
- Keep in a sealed envelope in a secure location
Don’t: Post it anywhere. Email it. Put it in shared digital documents.
Step 4: Practice
Have a family member call and “test” the system. This:
- Reinforces the memory
- Normalizes asking for the code word
- Identifies any confusion
Step 5: Establish the Protocol
Make clear when and how to use it:
When to ask for the code word:
- Any unexpected call asking for money
- Any urgent request to do something unusual
- Any situation that feels “off”
What to do if they don’t know it:
- Hang up immediately
- Call the person directly on their known number
- Alert other family members
Special Considerations
For Elderly Parents
They may need:
- A written reminder (somewhere private) of the code word
- Regular reminders about the protocol
- Reassurance that it’s okay to hang up on “you”
Frame it as protecting the family, not protecting them specifically.
For Kids and Teenagers
Great for teaching about digital safety. Adjust complexity by age:
- Young kids: Simple word or phrase
- Teens: Can handle more complex understanding
Also useful for verifying pickup from school (non-parents must know the code word).
For the Code Word Itself
Consider having different levels:
- Green word: “Everything is actually fine, you can trust me”
- Red word/duress word: “I’m being forced to say everything is fine, but it’s not—call for help”
The duress word is for extreme situations where someone might be coerced.
What If They Ask a Question You Can Answer?
Sophisticated scammers might research your family. They might know:
- Your kids’ names
- Where you work
- Recent events from social media
This is why the code word must be:
- Never publicly mentioned
- Not deducible from available information
- Truly random or based on purely private knowledge
Public information verification (“What’s your daughter’s name?”) is NOT sufficient. Only the secret code word works.
Handling Objections
“This seems paranoid.”
These scams have stolen tens of millions of dollars. One grandmother lost $70,000 to a voice-cloned “grandchild.” Being prepared isn’t paranoid—it’s prudent.
“I would definitely recognize a fake.”
You probably wouldn’t. The best voice clones are indistinguishable, especially over a phone line, especially when you’re frightened. That’s the whole point.
“Criminals won’t target our family.”
These scams are run at massive scale. They don’t specifically target wealthy or famous families—they target anyone with money to lose. Phone numbers are harvested from data breaches and sold in bulk.
“This is too complicated for my parents.”
The code word system is actually simpler than most digital security measures. It doesn’t require any technology. Just a secret and the agreement to ask for it.
Quick Reference Card
Print this and share with family members:
FAMILY CODE WORD PROTOCOL
Our family code word is: _________________
IF someone calls claiming to be family and asks for money or help:
- Ask: “What’s our family code word?”
- If they don’t know it instantly, HANG UP
- Call that family member directly on their saved number
- Alert other family members
Remember:
- Real family knows the code word
- Real emergencies can wait 5 minutes for verification
- It’s ALWAYS okay to hang up and call back
The Bottom Line
Voice cloning makes it impossible to trust what you hear. But scammers can’t clone information they don’t have.
A simple, free family code word—agreed upon in advance, never spoken publicly—provides near-perfect protection against even the most sophisticated voice cloning attacks.
Take 10 minutes to set this up with your family. It could save someone you love tens of thousands of dollars—or worse.