Florida's consumer watchdog agency has warned that the AI version is a high tech version of the old “I have a cold scam.” 

That was when a scammer would greet "Grandma" or "Grandpa" before saying, "It's me — I know I sound funny because I have a cold," and then make an urgent plea for money to get out of a scrap.

However, now the scammers are using audio and video clips found online and AI software to make the call more compelling.

It is possible to spot flaws in the AI, such as incorrect or mispronounced names or unfamiliar terms of endearment. The AI is programmed to rush the call quickly before it is spotted and there are detailed instructions on delivering funds in a form that is hard to recover — wired funds, a gift card or pay.

The consumer watchdog agency suggests this precaution. "Encourage family members to set their social media pages to private."