AI impostor mimics Marco Rubio to call high-level officials: Sources
A sophisticated impersonation campaign, utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) to mimic the voice and writing style of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, has targeted foreign ministers, a US governor, and a member of Congress, according to a report by The Washington Post.
Citing a senior US official and a State Department cable, the newspaper revealed details of the widespread attempt to deceive high-ranking government figures.
According to The Washington Post's report, US authorities are actively investigating the identity of the perpetrator behind these attempts. However, they believe the objective is likely to manipulate powerful officials "to gain access to information or accounts," as detailed in a cable from Rubio's office sent to State Department employees.
The impersonation campaign, which began in mid-June, involved both text messaging and the encrypted messaging app Signal, a platform widely used by the current administration. The impostor reportedly created a Signal account using the display name "[email protected]", not the Secretary's actual email address, to contact unsuspecting diplomats and politicians, both foreign and domestic.
The cable, dated July 3, states that "at least five non-Department individuals, including three foreign ministers, a US governor, and a US member of Congress," were contacted.
The report further detailed that the actor left voicemails on Signal for at least two targeted individuals and, in one instance, sent a text message inviting communication on the app. The cable also noted that other State Department personnel were impersonated through email.
When questioned by The Washington Post about the incident, the State Department affirmed its commitment to "carry out a thorough investigation and continue to implement safeguards to prevent this from happening in the future." However, officials declined to disclose the specific contents of the messages or the names of the individuals targeted.
This incident follows other recent high-profile impersonation attempts targeting US officials. In May, The Wall Street Journal reported that the phone of White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles was breached, leading to calls and messages being sent to senators, governors, and business executives under her guise. That episode prompted investigations by the White House and FBI, though President Donald Trump downplayed its significance.
The FBI has declined to comment on the Rubio impostor case. Impersonating a federal officer or employee with intent to deceive or obtain something is a federal crime.
