The CEO Voice Directive Scam

Flggd Scam School · AI Deepfake & Voice Scams · Lesson 3 of 14

Your boss called asking for an urgent wire transfer, and it truly sounded like them. Executives give speeches, interviews, and webinars; their voices are the easiest in the company to clone.

The message looks like this

Why this is a scam

The recipe never changes: authority, urgency, and secrecy. A cloned voice supplies the authority; the meeting excuse blocks you from calling back; the confidentiality line stops you from checking with a colleague.

Real payment changes don't arrive by surprise voicemail. Companies use approval chains precisely because a single rushed human is the weakest link. Any real executive would rather be interrupted than robbed.

Red flags checklist

• An urgent payment request by voice, with no way to call back.

• New or changed bank details arriving by email right after the call.

• "Keep this confidential" or "just between us".

• Pressure to skip the normal approval process this one time.

• A voice that's right, but a channel, time, or tone that's off.

The manipulation tactic

Authority plus urgency. Obeying the boss quickly feels like good work; the scam turns your professionalism into the exploit.

What to do, and what not to do

• Verify by a second channel you initiate: call the boss's known number or ask them in person.

• Follow the payment approval process; no exceptions for voicemails.

• Treat any new bank details as unverified until confirmed with the vendor directly.

• Never let "confidential" stop you from verifying; auditors call that a red flag, not a betrayal.

• Report the attempt to your finance and IT teams immediately.

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