- with just three seconds of audio required to clone a person's voice, study warns

Fraudsters can now mimic a victim's voice using just a three second snippet of audio, often stolen from social media profiles.

It is then used to phone a friend or family member convincing them they are in trouble and urgently need money.

One in four Britons say they or someone they know has been targeted by the scam, according to cybersecurity specialists McAfee.

It is so believable the majority of those affected admitted they have lost money as a result, with the cost for around a third of victims over £1,000.