Within Deepfakes
What the Biden Robocall Case Teaches
The New Hampshire robocall showed why investigators trace telecom routes and campaign links instead of relying on listeners' ears.
On this page
- What the call was used to make voters believe
- How officials and reporters traced the source trail
- Election season checks before sharing political audio
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Introduction
The New Hampshire “Biden robocall” incident became one of the clearest early demonstrations of why election-related audio cannot be judged by ear alone. In January 2024, thousands of voters received automated calls that appeared to feature then-President Joe Biden’s voice telling Democrats to stay home and “save” their votes for the November election rather than participate in the state’s presidential primary. Investigators later concluded that the voice had been artificially generated and that the operation was part of a coordinated effort to influence voter behaviour. [AP News]apnews.comThe call, sent to multiple voters, falsely claimed that voting in the primary would support Republicans and urged voters to save their vo…
For anyone interested in critical thinking during elections, the most important lesson is not that the audio sounded fake. Many listeners could not reliably tell. The important lesson is that officials, journalists and telecom investigators established what happened by tracing evidence: phone-routing records, spoofed caller IDs, telecom providers, payment trails and the people involved in creating and distributing the calls. [CyberScoop+2Incident Database]cyberscoop.comNew Hampshire authorities trace Biden AI robocall to…February 6, 2024 — 6 Feb 2024 — An investigation identified Life Corpor…
What the call was used to make voters believe
The robocall reached New Hampshire voters shortly before the Democratic primary. The message falsely suggested that participating in the primary would somehow help Republicans and that voters should instead wait until the general election. State officials characterised the calls as an apparent voter-suppression effort because the message attempted to discourage lawful participation in an election. [AP News+2Axios]apnews.comThe call, sent to multiple voters, falsely claimed that voting in the primary would support Republicans and urged voters to save their vo…
What made the case significant was not merely the political content. Election misinformation often succeeds by exploiting time pressure. Voters have only a limited window to verify information before polling day. A convincing voice that appears to come from a candidate or officeholder can create confusion at exactly the moment when clarification is hardest to obtain. [The Washington Post]washingtonpost.combiden deepfake robocall lawsuit new hampshireThe Washington PostGroup sues after novel Biden deepfake urged voters to skip…Mar 17, 2024 — The January deepfake of Biden is one of t…
The incident was widely viewed as one of the first major examples of generative AI being used in a US presidential-election context to discourage voting through a cloned political voice. [The Washington Post]washingtonpost.combiden deepfake robocall lawsuit new hampshireThe Washington PostGroup sues after novel Biden deepfake urged voters to skip…Mar 17, 2024 — The January deepfake of Biden is one of t…
How officials and reporters traced the source trail
The investigation did not depend on listening tests
A common misunderstanding is that investigators solved the case by detecting flaws in the synthetic voice. In reality, the key breakthroughs came from tracing the communication network that carried the calls.
New Hampshire authorities, working with federal agencies and industry traceback groups, followed telecom records to identify the companies involved in transmitting the robocalls. Investigators linked the operation to telecom firms including Life Corporation and Lingo Telecom, creating a documented path from the calls received by voters back through the communications infrastructure that delivered them. [CyberScoop+2Forbes]cyberscoop.comNew Hampshire authorities trace Biden AI robocall to…February 6, 2024 — 6 Feb 2024 — An investigation identified Life Corpor…
The caller ID itself provided another clue. Reports indicated that the operation spoofed the telephone number of a former New Hampshire Democratic Party chair, creating a false appearance of legitimacy while obscuring the true source. [AP News]apnews.comThe call, sent to multiple voters, falsely claimed that voting in the primary would support Republicans and urged voters to save their vo…
Following the people behind the operation
As the investigation progressed, authorities identified political consultant Steve Kramer as the organiser of the robocall campaign. Kramer later acknowledged orchestrating the calls. New Hampshire prosecutors brought criminal charges, while federal regulators pursued enforcement actions. [AP News+2Business Insider]apnews.combiden robocalls ai new hampshire charges fines 9e9cc63a71eb9c78b9bb0d1ec2aa6e9cAP NewsPolitical consultant behind fake Biden robocalls faces $6…23 May 2024 — A former New Hampshire Democratic Party chair whose pho…
The case illustrates a broader verification principle: determining who commissioned, created and distributed a piece of media is often more valuable than debating whether listeners can hear signs of manipulation. Once investigators reconstructed the chain of responsibility, the authenticity question became much easier to answer. [Incident Database]incidentdatabase.aiIncident DatabaseIncident 628: Fake Biden Voice in Robocall Misleads New…21 Jan 2024 — Description: A robocall imitating President Bid…
Telecom evidence mattered as much as the audio itself
The investigation eventually extended beyond the creator of the message. The US Federal Communications Commission pursued action against telecom companies involved in transmitting the calls. Lingo Telecom later agreed to pay a $1 million civil penalty and implement stricter compliance measures, while Kramer faced a proposed $6 million FCC penalty and separate state charges. [FCC Documentation+2Reuters]docs.fcc.govFCC DocumentationLingo Telecom to Pay $1 Million Civil Penalty and…WASHINGTON, August 21, 2024—The Federal Communications Commission t…
This aspect of the case is particularly instructive. The evidence did not rest on proving that every listener should have recognised an AI voice. Instead, regulators relied on records showing how the call travelled through telecommunications systems and who was responsible for initiating it. [FCC Documentation+2FCC]docs.fcc.govFCC DocumentationLingo Telecom to Pay $1 Million Civil Penalty and…WASHINGTON, August 21, 2024—The Federal Communications Commission t…
Election-season checks before sharing political audio
The New Hampshire case offers practical lessons for evaluating suspicious election audio.
Ask where the recording first appeared. If a dramatic political recording surfaces through anonymous accounts, mass messages or robocalls rather than identifiable campaign channels or recognised news organisations, treat it cautiously until independent confirmation emerges.
Look for independent reporting, not reactions. During the New Hampshire incident, state election officials, journalists and federal authorities quickly issued statements and began investigations. Verification came from those independent inquiries, not from social-media arguments about whether the voice “sounded real”. [AP News+2Axios]apnews.comThe call, sent to multiple voters, falsely claimed that voting in the primary would support Republicans and urged voters to save their vo…
Check whether election officials have responded. When suspicious election audio appears close to voting day, local election authorities and attorneys general often publish warnings, corrections or investigative updates. In this case, New Hampshire officials publicly advised voters to disregard the message. [AP News]apnews.comThe call, sent to multiple voters, falsely claimed that voting in the primary would support Republicans and urged voters to save their vo…
Pay attention to caller identity and distribution methods. A spoofed number, an unexpected robocall, or an unattributed audio clip should raise questions about provenance before any judgement about authenticity is made. The New Hampshire operation relied on deceptive routing and caller-ID manipulation as well as synthetic speech. [AP News]apnews.combiden robocalls ai new hampshire charges fines 9e9cc63a71eb9c78b9bb0d1ec2aa6e9cAP NewsPolitical consultant behind fake Biden robocalls faces $6…23 May 2024 — A former New Hampshire Democratic Party chair whose pho…
Treat urgency as a warning sign. Election disinformation often appears when there is little time to verify claims. Messages that tell voters to act immediately, stay home, ignore official information or distrust established voting procedures deserve especially careful scrutiny. [Election Innovation & Research]electioninnovation.orgElection Innovation & Research Deepfake robocall in N.Hbrings AI-fueled disinformation…On January 21, a number of New Hampshire voters received a robocall using deepfake technology to imita…
Why the case changed thinking about election audio
The Biden robocall case demonstrated that modern election verification increasingly resembles investigative journalism and digital forensics rather than a contest of human perception. A cloned voice may sound convincing enough to fool many listeners. The stronger question is whether the message can be connected to a legitimate campaign, verified through independent sources and traced through a transparent chain of origin.
That distinction is central to credibility checks in the age of AI. The New Hampshire investigation succeeded because authorities reconstructed the evidence trail behind the recording. The lesson for voters is straightforward: when political audio appears at a strategically important moment, trust the traceable evidence surrounding the message more than the sound of the voice itself. [CyberScoop+2Incident Database]cyberscoop.comNew Hampshire authorities trace Biden AI robocall to…February 6, 2024 — 6 Feb 2024 — An investigation identified Life Corpor…
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Endnotes
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Source: cyberscoop.com
Link: https://cyberscoop.com/lingo-life-biden-ai-robocall/Source snippet
New Hampshire authorities trace Biden AI robocall to...February 6, 2024 — 6 Feb 2024 — An investigation identified Life Corpor...
Published: February 6, 2024
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Source: axios.com
Link: https://www.axios.com/2024/01/22/biden-fake-robocall-disinformationSource snippet
The calls suggest that voting in the primary could aid Donald Trump and that voters should wait until the general election in November. T...
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Source: axios.com
Link: https://www.axios.com/2024/02/08/fcc-ai-robocalls-illegalSource snippet
This unanimous ruling categorizes AI-generated voices as "artificial" under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, making their use in ro...
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Source: forbes.com
Link: https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollybohannon/2024/02/06/biden-deepfake-robocall-urging-voters-to-skip-new-hampshire-primary-traced-to-texas-company/Source snippet
Biden New Hampshire Deepfake Calls Traced To Texas...6 Feb 2024 — Life Corporation received a cease and desist letter ordering it to sto...
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Source: docs.fcc.gov
Link: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-404951A1.pdfSource snippet
FCC DocumentationLingo Telecom to Pay $1 Million Civil Penalty and...WASHINGTON, August 21, 2024—The Federal Communications Commission t...
Published: August 21, 2024
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Source: reuters.com
Title: fcc finalizes 6 million fine over ai generated biden robocalls 2024 09 26
Link: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/fcc-finalizes-6-million-fine-over-ai-generated-biden-robocalls-2024-09-26/Source snippet
Consultant fined $6 million for using AI to fake Biden's...26 Sept 2024 — The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday finalized a...
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Source: fcc.gov
Title: Proposes $6 Million Fine for Deepfake Robocalls
Link: https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-proposes-6-million-fine-deepfake-robocalls-around-nh-primarySource snippet
May 23, 2024 — The FCC proposed a substantial fine for apparently illegal robocalls made using deepfake, AI-generated voice cloning techn...
Published: May 23, 2024
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Source: apnews.com
Link: https://apnews.com/article/f3469ceb6dd613079092287994663db5Source snippet
The call, sent to multiple voters, falsely claimed that voting in the primary would support Republicans and urged voters to save their vo...
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Source: electioninnovation.org
Title: Election Innovation & Research Deepfake robocall in N.H
Link: https://electioninnovation.org/update/deepfake-robocall-in-new-hampshire-brings-ai-fueled-disinformation-to-election-2024/Source snippet
brings AI-fueled disinformation...On January 21, a number of New Hampshire voters received a robocall using deepfake technology to imita...
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Source: incidentdatabase.ai
Link: https://incidentdatabase.ai/cite/628/Source snippet
Incident DatabaseIncident 628: Fake Biden Voice in Robocall Misleads New...21 Jan 2024 — Description: A robocall imitating President Bid...
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Source: apnews.com
Title: biden robocalls ai new hampshire charges fines 9e9cc63a71eb9c78b9bb0d1ec2aa6e9c
Link: https://apnews.com/article/biden-robocalls-ai-new-hampshire-charges-fines-9e9cc63a71eb9c78b9bb0d1ec2aa6e9cSource snippet
AP NewsPolitical consultant behind fake Biden robocalls faces $6...23 May 2024 — A former New Hampshire Democratic Party chair whose pho...
Published: May 2024
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Source: washingtonpost.com
Title: biden deepfake robocall lawsuit new hampshire
Link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/03/16/biden-deepfake-robocall-lawsuit-new-hampshire/Source snippet
The Washington PostGroup sues after novel Biden deepfake urged voters to skip...Mar 17, 2024 — The January deepfake of Biden is one of t...
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Source: businessinsider.com
Link: https://www.businessinsider.com/man-who-admitted-to-plotting-biden-robocall-scheme-indicted-2024-5Source snippet
The robocalls, which were sent ahead of the January primary election, falsely advised voters not to vote, using an AI-generated voice mim...
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Source: Wikipedia
Title: Joe Biden
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_BidenSource snippet
Joe BidenJoseph Robinette Biden Jr.... (born November 20, 1942) is an American former politician who was the 46th president of the Un...
Published: November 20, 1942
Additional References
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Source: instagram.com
Link: https://www.instagram.com/joebiden/?hl=enSource snippet
Joe Biden (@joebiden) • Instagram photos and videosDuring National Gun Violence Awareness Month, we remember the thousands of Americans w...
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Source: joebiden.com
Link: https://joebiden.com/Source snippet
The Office of Joe and Jill BidenWelcome to the Office of About the bidens Joe and Jill Biden Joe and Jill Biden Stay Connected Sign up fo...
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Source: theguardian.com
Link: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/jan/22/biden-fake-robocalls-new-hampshireSource snippet
Kathy Sullivan, a prominent Democrat, calls for full prosecution of those behind the call, viewing it as an attack on democracy. The New...
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Source: perkinscoie.com
Title: fcc fines telecom transmitted ai generated deepfake robocalls impersonating
Link: https://perkinscoie.com/insights/update/fcc-fines-telecom-transmitted-ai-generated-deepfake-robocalls-impersonatingSource snippet
FCC Fines Telecom That Transmitted AI-Generated...Sep 3, 2024 — Two days before the 2024 New Hampshire Democratic primary, thousands of...
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Source: nhpr.org
Title: telecom company that sent biden deepfake calls to nh voters hit with fine
Link: https://www.nhpr.org/nh-news/2024-08-21/telecom-company-that-sent-biden-deepfake-calls-to-nh-voters-hit-with-fineSource snippet
Telecom company that sent Biden 'deepfake' calls to NH...21 Aug 2024 — Texas-based Lingo Telecom agreed to a $1 million fine to the FCC...
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Source: youtube.com
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbQafWO2HhwSource snippet
Robocall to New Hampshire voters faked Biden's voiceA robo call placed to voters right where we are here in New Hampshire and the voice s...
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Source: cbsnews.com
Title: new hampshire jury acquits consultant ai robocalls biden
Link: https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/new-hampshire-jury-acquits-consultant-ai-robocalls-biden/Source snippet
New Hampshire jury acquits consultant behind AI robocalls...13 Jun 2025 — A political consultant who sent artificial intelligence-genera...
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Source: x.com
Title: Joe Biden (@Joe Biden) / Posts / XJoe Biden (@Joe Biden)
Link: https://x.com/JoeBiden?lang=enSource snippet
Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) / Posts / XJoe Biden (@JoeBiden) - Posts - Husband to @DrBiden, proud father, grandfather, and great grandfather...
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/usatoday/videos/experts-concerned-about-[deepfakesSource snippet
rs to stay home and not take part in the New Hampshire Democratic primary.Read more...
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/wdsutv/posts/a-political-consultant-sent-ai-generated-robocalls-mimicking-president-joe-biden/912489644254498/Source snippet
akes − and how hard it is to defend against AI-generated...Read more...
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