Silent Call Scam: How a Simple ‘Hello’ Could Cost You

Belgian authorities and cybersecurity experts are warning about a rapidly growing scam that turns an innocent “hello” into a serious security threat. Known as “l’arnaque à l’appel silencieux” (the silent call scam), fraudsters call victims and remain silent when answered, using the interaction to verify active phone numbers and capture voice samples for AI-powered cloning, according to La Libre Belgique.

How the Scam Works

The scheme is deceptively simple. Victims receive calls from unknown numbers. When they answer, no one responds. The silence is intentional — it is designed to make the victim speak first. Saying even a single word like “allô” or “bonjour” serves two malicious purposes simultaneously.

First, answering the call confirms to fraudsters that the phone number is active and monitored. These verified numbers are then sold on the dark web or used in other fraud schemes, including SMS phishing and targeted scams. Second, and more alarmingly, fraudsters record the victim’s voice and use AI tools to create convincing voice clones.

As cybersecurity expert Eric Schmitlin explained to Paris Match Belgique: “Even a single word, even a ‘Hello’ can be used to create a cloned voice, which may not be of exceptional quality like what you’d get with minutes and minutes of recording, but it will work.”

The Scale of the Threat

The silent call scam is part of a broader surge in cyber fraud targeting Belgians. According to the Centre for Cybersecurity Belgium (CCB), over 40,000 phishing cases were reported daily in Belgium during the first quarter of 2026 — more than 3.6 million cases in just three months. The CCB regularly updates warnings via Safeonweb.be, which has recently alerted the public to multiple active scams including fake SMS messages from the SPF Finances tax authority, fraudulent itsme calls, and fake Engie emails.

La Libre Belgique first reported on the silent call phenomenon on 7 May 2026, noting that these increasingly frequent calls “are not always harmless.” The follow-up article on 17 May by editor-in-chief Jonas Legge provided deeper analysis of the techniques used by fraudsters.

Why AI Makes This Scam Particularly Dangerous

Recent advances in generative AI have made voice cloning technology accessible to criminals. Tools available on the dark web can create convincing voice clones from as little as three to five seconds of audio. This enables fraudsters to impersonate victims to family members with urgent pleas for money, bypass voice-based security systems at financial institutions, and launch social engineering attacks against colleagues and businesses.

According to L’Avenir, which published an overview of active scams in Belgium in April 2026, the landscape of cyber fraud has become increasingly sophisticated, with fraudsters employing multiple channels — phone calls, SMS, and email — to target victims.

Practical Advice for Protection

Cybersecurity experts and Belgian authorities recommend the following precautions:

• Don’t speak first — When answering an unknown call, wait for the caller to speak before saying anything
• Don’t call back — Avoid returning calls to unknown numbers without verification
• Block suspicious contacts — Block numbers that repeatedly call without speaking
• Avoid personalized voicemail — Do not use personalized voicemail greetings that could be recorded and cloned
• Be skeptical of urgent requests — If someone calls claiming to be a family member in distress, verify through another channel
• Report incidents — Report suspicious calls to Safeonweb.be or local authorities

Broader Implications

The rise of AI-powered voice cloning scams represents a significant challenge for cybersecurity, regulation, and public trust. As similar scams are reported in France and other European countries, there are growing concerns about organized cross-border criminal operations. The banking sector may also need to update verification procedures as voice-based authentication becomes less reliable.

Jonas Legge of La Libre Belgique summarized the situation succinctly: “Scammers can use this technique for different objectives. Faced with this type of situation, some reflexes are essential.”

What to Watch For

As AI technology continues to advance and become more accessible, experts expect these types of scams to become more sophisticated and harder to detect. Belgian authorities are urging the public to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious calls immediately. The CCB continues to monitor the threat landscape and update its guidance through Safeonweb.be.

The most important takeaway? The next time you answer a call and hear silence, hang up immediately. That simple action could save you from becoming the next victim.