National Trading Standards warns of AI voice-cloning survey scam leading to unauthorised direct debits

National Trading Standards (NTS) has identified a scam in which fraudsters cold call people, ask them to take part in a non-existent "lifestyle survey", and use the answers to clone their voices with artificial intelligence in order to set up direct debits without their knowledge¹. The warning was reported on 5 February 2026¹.

According to NTS, the call is designed to gather personal, health and financial details, which are then used to create AI-generated voice clones¹. Those clones are used to set up direct debits, including payments to banks and other financial providers¹. NTS said the scam appears to be targeting older people through the "lifestyle survey" ruse¹.

Louise Baxter, head of the NTS scams team, said:

"What we're seeing is a deeply disturbing combination of old and new: traditional phone scams supported by disturbing new techniques."

"Criminals are using AI not just to deceive victims, but to trick legitimate systems into processing fraudulent payments."

"This is no longer just a nuisance, it's a coordinated, sophisticated operation targeting some of the most situationally vulnerable consumers in society."

"We urge everyone to speak to friends and relatives about scam calls, check bank statements regularly and report anything suspicious."

Voice cloning is the use of AI technology to create a replica of a person's voice, with tools that mimic voice tone and accent¹. The technology has also been used to create deepfake celebrity videos and to impersonate a loved one and request money for help¹.

Why it matters for households

The harm described here is not a single payment made under pressure during a call. The direct debits are set up without the account holder's knowledge, which means money can leave an account repeatedly before the arrangement is noticed¹. NTS's advice to check bank statements regularly points to the fact that a direct debit can run quietly in the background¹.

Older people are described as the group apparently being targeted¹. Anyone who has answered questions about their health, finances or personal circumstances on an unexpected call may have given the material used to build a voice clone, and the resulting payments are described as unauthorised¹.

The warning also covers how a call can be checked. Ending the call and using a different phone, or waiting at least 15 minutes before using the same phone, allows the organisation the caller claims to be from to be contacted on a number taken from its website or a recent official letter¹. Registering with the Telephone Preference Service stops legitimate companies making unsolicited sales and marketing calls, so an unexpected call is more likely to be a scam¹. Calling 159 connects a caller to their bank's genuine customer service line¹. Anyone who loses money is advised to call their bank immediately using the number on the back of their bank card and to report it to Report Fraud, formerly Action Fraud, or to call police on 101 in Scotland¹.

Our guides on how to spot a scam: the warning signs and on clone firms: fraudsters posing as authorised companies cover related tactics, and the scams and fraud hub collects our wider coverage.