An individual used an AI-generated voice to impersonate US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and contacted three foreign ministers, a US governor, and a member of Congress in June, according to a diplomatic cable reported by Reuters.
The impersonator used the encrypted messaging app Signal to send text messages and leave voicemails, attempting to lure officials into conversations under the false pretense of being the top US diplomat. The account, created in mid-June under the display name marco.rubio@state.gov.
“The actor likely aimed to manipulate targeted individuals using AI-generated text and voice messages with the goal of gaining access to information or accounts,” the cable stated.
The incident, first reported by The Washington Post, has prompted the State Department to alert all diplomatic and consular posts globally. Officials were advised to warn external partners about potential impersonation attempts.
According to the cable, as reported by BBC, “The actor left voicemails on Signal for at least two targeted individuals, and in one instance, sent a text message inviting the individual to communicate on Signal.”
The cable did not disclose the identities of the individuals contacted or what exactly the AI-generated voice of Rubio said in those messages. While the impersonation campaign does not appear to have breached State Department systems, it raised concerns about the potential exposure of sensitive information.
“There is no direct cyber threat to the department from this campaign, but information shared with a third party could be exposed if targeted individuals are compromised,” the cable noted.
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A senior State Department official, speaking anonymously to Reuters, confirmed the investigation is underway. “The Department takes seriously its responsibility to safeguard its information and continuously takes steps to improve the department’s cybersecurity posture to prevent future incidents,” the official said.
The Associated Press, quoting an unnamed US official, reported that the impersonation attempts were ultimately “unsuccessful” and “not very sophisticated.”
Secretary Rubio has not commented publicly on the matter so far.
This latest impersonation effort follows a growing trend flagged by US authorities. In May, the FBI warned that malicious actors were using AI to mimic US officials and infiltrate personal accounts, potentially to extract sensitive data or money. The FBI has not publicly commented on this specific incident.
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Earlier in 2023, a fake robocall using a voice clone of Joe Biden urged voters to skip the New Hampshire primary, a move officials called an “unlawful attempt to disrupt” the electoral process. That case also remains under investigation.