British 999 caller’s voice faked in AI-driven Russian disinformation stunt, BBC uncovers
A troubling revelation from a BBC Verify investigation has sent shockwaves through the UK’s emergency services community, and raised urgent questions about the growing threat of AI manipulation.
A British 999 caller’s voice has reportedly been cloned by a Russian-linked disinformation campaign, which used artificial intelligence to impersonate UK public sector workers in a foreign political operation.
Olga Robinson, a journalist with BBC Verify, uncovered the campaign and tracked down one of its unknowing victims, an emergency medical advisor based in Preston, England.
“I was shocked when I heard my own voice in a video I never recorded,” said the advisor.
“It was disturbing. I had no idea anything like this had happened.”
His voice had been fabricated by AI and embedded in video content designed to stir fear and distrust during Poland’s presidential election earlier this year. The video, which falsely portrayed him as offering a bleak warning, had no basis in reality.
This type of synthetic media, where AI clones voices and even faces, has been increasingly weaponised in recent global disinformation campaigns.
What makes this case even more concerning is the personal nature of the attack. Real people. Real jobs. And now, fake voices are being used to drive international political agendas.
Cybersecurity experts warn this is just the tip of the iceberg. “We’re entering a phase where you can no longer trust what you see or hear online,” said one digital analyst. “Bad actors are evolving faster than regulation.”
The use of a British 999 caller’s voice, someone whose job revolves around trust, clarity, and saving lives, signals a new and deeply disturbing direction in hybrid warfare tactics.
Government officials have yet to comment on whether a formal investigation is underway. But calls for urgent action are growing.
As AI capabilities expand, so too does the potential for this kind of manipulation to infiltrate democratic processes, even here in the UK.
For now, the emergency medical advisor from Preston remains deeply unsettled. “It’s terrifying to think someone could use my voice for something I don’t stand for,” he said. “It’s like being hijacked.”
This latest incident adds weight to a rising demand for global regulation around AI misuse, before the line between truth and fiction blurs completely.
