People in West Dunbartonshire are being urged to stay alert to a new wave of AI-powered phone scams.
Telemarketing experts at Front Line Sales Consultancy (FLSC) are warning that UK households and businesses are being targeted by sophisticated telephone scams using AI-generated voice cloning in the run-up to the January 31 self-assessment tax deadline.
Fraudsters are impersonating organisations, including HMRC and the DVLA, using realistic-sounding voices, spoofed phone numbers and scripts designed to create a sense of urgency.
Artificial intelligence is now being used to generate voice clones from short audio samples, which can be taken from social media videos, voicemail greetings or leaked data.
The technology allows scammers to create calls that include natural pauses, emotional language and confident responses.
Common tactics include fake HMRC calls about unpaid tax, missed filings or legal action; bogus DVLA calls threatening licence suspension or vehicle seizure; and follow-up texts or emails reinforcing the scam after the initial call.
A spokesperson for FLSC said: “Traditional scam calls were easy to spot – robotic voices, poor audio quality and obvious pressure tactics.
“In 2026, that's no longer the case.
“We're seeing calls that sound calm, professional and convincingly human, sometimes even mimicking official tones or familiar voices.
“That's what makes these scams so dangerous.
“In some cases, people are being told they owe tax, face licence suspension or must act immediately to avoid penalties.
“The urgency is deliberate.
“Scammers rely on panic rather than logic.”
FLSC stresses that neither HMRC nor the DVLA will ask for payment, personal information or banking details through unsolicited calls.
They advise the public to watch for red flags such as pressure to act immediately, requests for payment or sensitive details, threatening language, resistance to verification, and responses that break down under unexpected questioning.
Caller IDs may also be spoofed to match official government helplines.
The FLSC spokesperson said: “Caller ID alone means nothing anymore.
“If a call feels urgent, emotional or pushy, that's usually your cue to stop and verify independently.”
Self-employed individuals, contractors and small business owners are expected to be the most heavily targeted as the tax deadline approaches.
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FLSC recommends hanging up and contacting organisations using verified numbers from trusted sources, never sharing banking information during unsolicited calls, remaining sceptical of follow-up messages, and consulting a trusted person if unsure.
The spokesperson said: “These scams evolve every year.
“In 2026, AI has tipped the balance.
“Awareness is now the strongest defence.”
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