Boone County Sheriff’s Office warns residents after AI swatting call
Alison Patton
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A scam that makes people believe their loved ones are in danger using artificial intelligence has hit Boone County, and the sheriff’s office is warning people after a resident reported a call.
According to a Facebook post, the Boone County Sheriff’s Office said the victim received a call Friday that showed their daughter’s contact name and number. The caller allegedly had the daughter’s voice and told the victim she had been kidnapped at gunpoint before another voice demanded money, essentially asking for a ransom.
“It was later determined the person they were speaking with was not the daughter but rather an AI generated voice that sounded like their daughter,” the post says.
A coordinated law enforcement response found the real daughter in Jefferson City, unaware of the scam.
The office said this is the first time a scam like this has happened in the county. People are urged to use caution should they encounter a similar situation.
“If you receive such a call, try to verify the loved one’s identity through questions to which only they would know the answer(s) or try to contact the person through other means, such as calling them from another phone,” the post says.
The Better Business Bureau suggests people have a safe word that they keep private to use in case an emergency happens. If a caller doesn’t use the safe word, then hang up and call the person directly.
People should also report any similar calls to local law enforcement. A suspect hasn’t been identified or arrested, according to the Boone County Sheriff’s Office.
The FBI reported Americans lost over $893 million to AI scams in 2025, and Missourians lost $233 million in total to all scams, including AI.