World leaders also receive scam calls; Thailand PM latest target
What's the story
Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra recently disclosed that she nearly fell prey to a phone scam.
The fraud involved the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to mimic the voice of an unidentified foreign leader.
"In the clip, he said he was looking forward to seeing me and working together," Shinawatra said during a press conference on Wednesday.
Scam details
PM Shinawatra's suspicions raised by unusual request
Shinawatra said she had missed a call from the same number at night and received another voice message the next day.
This message alleged that Thailand was the only Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) country yet to donate, which raised her suspicions.
"When I heard that, I thought 'this is not right'," she said.
Her doubts were confirmed when she received a text message asking to transfer money to an overseas bank account.
Scam prevalence
Phone scams a common menace in Thailand
Shinawatra did not reveal when she received these messages.
Phone scams, usually involving impersonation of officials or bank staff, are a widespread problem in Thailand.
Just last week, Shinawatra declared over $400 million in assets to the country's anti-corruption commission.
Her father, Thaksin Shinawatra, is one of Thailand's richest people, with a net worth of $2.1 billion, according to Forbes magazine.