An unknown individual impersonated Secretary of State Marco Rubio and contacted U.S. and foreign leaders, according to a report from The Washington Post. The officials received “voice and text messages that mimic Rubio’s voice and writing style using artificial intelligence-powered software,” the outlet reported.
A cable sent by Rubio’s office to State Department employees said the individual was likely attempting to gain access to government information. The individual “contacted at least five non-Department individuals, including three foreign ministers, a U.S. governor, and a U.S. member of Congress,” the cable, obtained by The Washington Post, read.
“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 message said. The scheme is believed to have begun in mid-June, according to the report, when the individual created a Signal account and used the name “Marco.Rubio@state.gov” to contact officials.
The State Department told reporters that it is aware of the incident and is investigating the matter.
In May, the FBI issued a public service announcement warning that “malicious actors have impersonated senior US officials to target individuals, many of whom are current or former senior US federal or state government officials and their contacts.” The activities involved text messages and “AI-generated voice messages” claiming to come from senior officials “in an effort to establish rapport before gaining access to personal accounts.”
“AI-generated content has advanced to the point that it is often difficult to identify,” the FBI added, directing Americans to contact authorities when needed.
