This has to be illegal. If it isn’t, it is certainly unethical.
I got a call this morning with a caller ID that stated it was from a hospital. If I say “hello” and there is an odd pause, usually followed by a telltale <click> and voice saying “Hello?” I hang up immediately. because it’s a robocall. This time, however, there was no click, and a clear, unaccented, assertive voice called out, “Hello!” I was curious, so I responded,”What do you want?” “We’ve been trying to reach you,” the cheerful young woman said. “Have you been made aware of Medicare cash paybacks?” THEN I hung up. I know an AI bot when I hear one.
The problem is, most people over the age of about 40 do not. This one was good, the best I’ve heard yet. Way back in 2015, Ars Technica wrote about the then-new use of interactive robocalls, but that was before the AI revolution. Last night I had been watching a new streaming series starring Nicole Kidman and Jamie Lee Curtis in which a character is addicted to conversing with an AI version of her dead wife. These fake people are improving at a logorhythmic rate, and in about a week the non-humans calling me will be undetectable. That doesn’t mean they will be the same as real callers, which means neglecting to announce to an individual that the voice on the other end of the line is AI-generated is fraud, dishonest, a lie, and, of course, unethical.
There needs to be a tough law or regulation against this practice. Now.
Ethics Alarms 
I get these calls every day. Plus, a lot of others.
Whoever calls I don’t give any information. Even if they sound official, I tell them, “I do not conduct or give any personal information over the phone.” One time “the IRS” called and said I owed back taxes. I told them: “Then contact me by an official means like a registered letter” and I hung up.
I’m over 40 and I’m not falling for any of that crap. But, I’ve always been cynical.
This call about being in an accident recently is relatively new (I think). At least I’ve only started getting them recently. They are fishing or should I say phishing! A lot of people have been in fender benders.
Caller ID is useless – almost every call we get is a spoofed caller ID.
Many calls now are AI robocalls but some are still the recorded responses which is a form of AI automation but it has a limited set of responses. It’s easy to tell either way. Just talk over them or ask them if you can order a pizza. “I’m sorry, I didn’t understand your response. Do you have Medicare Part A and Part B?” See answer above in list.
Not only do they prey on older people as you say in your post but they also prey on uneducated or naive people.
As I said last week, quoting wisdom I can’t manage to attribute,
“Life is an IQ test and it’s getting harder every year.”
I may write more in a bit. This is a “hot button topic” for anyone who still has a landline.
–charles w abbott
rochester NY