AI-Powered Rubio Impersonator Makes Calls to Foreign Ministers, Other Top Officials: Report
UNITED STATES, JUL 09 – An AI-driven scam impersonated Secretary Rubio to contact five officials, including three foreign ministers, aiming to access sensitive information, the State Department said.
- In early July 2025, the State Department alerted U.S. diplomats to AI-based impersonation attempts targeting Secretary Marco Rubio along with other officials, involving fraudulent calls and messages.
- The warnings followed discovery of a July 3 cable revealing an impostor impersonated Rubio using AI-generated voice messages to contact at least five high-profile individuals including foreign ministers and U.S. officials.
- The impersonator used a fake messaging account on Signal named marco.rubio@state.gov, left voicemails, and sent texts inviting targets to communicate, while the FBI had earlier flagged similar campaigns involving voice and text scams impersonating senior U.S. officials.
- Officials described the Rubio hoax as unsuccessful and unsophisticated but noted it shows how AI technologies easily blur truth and fiction, while emphasizing no direct cyber threat exists though information exposure risks remain if individuals are compromised.
- The State Department is investigating, advising personnel to report attempts, and continues improving cybersecurity amid increased foreign actor efforts to compromise information security using evolving AI-driven tactics.
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'The implications are frightening': Cybersecurity experts weigh in following AI impersonation Marco Rubio
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) -- As artificial intelligence advancements accelerate, cybersecurity experts warn security measures are falling behind following an A.I. impersonation of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. "It was just a matter of time before someone actually tried to take a step like this," said John Licato, associate professor at University of South Florida's Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing. "I think…
·Tampa, United States
Read Full ArticleAt least three foreign ministers from other countries and two high-ranking American politicians have been contacted with fake audio and text messages. Again, the news app signal is in focus.
·Zürich, Switzerland
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Total News Sources445
Leaning Left84Leaning Right57Center153Last UpdatedBias Distribution52% Center
Bias Distribution
- 52% of the sources are Center
52% Center
L 29%
C 52%
R 19%
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