AI Voice Cloning of Ari Melber Allegedly Exploited in Scam Targeting Elderly Woman

Patricia Taylor, a 73-year-old former Boeing and University of Washington employee from Marysville, Washington, fell victim to a romance scam involving AI technology. The scammer created a fake Facebook profile impersonating MSNBC host Ari Melber and convinced Taylor to send at least $20,000 over four months for various reasons, including treating a sick dog named Penny. When Taylor became suspicious, the scammer used AI-generated voice messages mimicking Melber's actual voice to maintain the deception, saying things like 'You're reading my messages and not responding. I'd never do that to you. Have you found someone else?' The scammer convinced Taylor they were in love and would marry, even sending her a $30 ring. Taylor attempted to fly from Seattle to New York City to meet the fake Melber but was intercepted by family members during a layover in Portland. The family fears she could have been kidnapped and held for ransom. Despite two interventions, the family worries Taylor might attempt to meet the scammer again. MSNBC confirmed the real Ari Melber had no connection to the scam. The FBI reported that over 101,000 people aged 60 and older were scammed in 2023, representing a 14% increase from the previous year.