This might actually be a decent idea, especially with scammers using AI-assisted voice changes.

Not the worst idea when the most likely scenario is a phone call from a scammer using an AI voice clone to demand random money.

With AI deep fakes being used for ransoms, this actually isn't a terrible idea.

Sounds like something a clone would do immediately after assuming the life of the original, in case the original ever escapes and tries to reclaim their life.

What makes you so certain that it was your husband and not a clone or doppelganger trying to confuse and distract you while setting fire in the house?

Having code words is good opsec. We had one as kids decades ago in case a stranger tried to pick us up.

"Your mommy is in the hospital and she sent me to get you."

"What's the code word?" No code word, find someone in a uniform or with a name tag.

This is kinda like the whole "What would you do to prepare for a zombie apocalypse?" The answer is the same for a lot of emergency and disaster prep but more fun.

This is the first thing I'd ask my family to do if I was already the doppelganger.

I have heard this in context of a kidnapping and asking a question only you will know the answer too.

The best solution to tell an imposter is by talking about a shared memory but changing some obvious details. You proof you are you by knowing the specific memory, they proof who they are by calling out the wrong detail.

Of course in context of a full clone, they would also have your memory and no amount of planning will help.

But do you have a code word you never told anyone that you can use to recognise yourself from the future or from a parallel universe?

easy, just say "what if the doppelganger sets fire to the house? we need a plan for that"

Sounds like something a cyborg doppelganger would try to do

What if that "husband" was already an impersonation of the real husband, so next time they meet both of them they can claim they are the real husband and tell the code word as proof?

I like that she didn't share the word. Smart.

I just installed GnuPG on my family members and have them cryptographically verify their identity

I'm assuming the clone has your memory including the code, otherwise you can just tell a shared old memory

That is exactly what a doppelganger would propose, you already lost.

Now your real husband will never be able to reach to you again.

When I was in a very young grade at school, an announcement came over the speakers. It was something intentionally meaningless, like “just a reminder that so and so will be presenting tomorrow”.

My teacher jumped up and closed the window shutters. We were all counted and escorted to the gymnasium. Turns out that message was a coded code silver kind of thing and there were people with guns on the school grounds.

Nobody was harmed; not students nor teachers, nor gun-people, nor police. There were contingency plans in place and practiced and they worked marvellously. I look back and find it kind of neat.

the code may also be useful in more realistic current near dystopia scenarios of receiving a phone call that appears to be from family member. AI/Live voice impersonation is current tech.

I mean, a fire escape plan? "Go outside, away from the fire." I feel like any kid capable of remembering a code word could figure that one out on their own.

Now, the threat of doppelgangers? That's something a family isn't going to be ready for. Because they're too busy wasting time with fire escape plans. This is smart.

legitimately a good idea to have a code word with your kids so theu can tell an adult you have sent for them from a kidnapper.

That actually sounds like a great way to spice up real safety planning to keep them interested.

The correct response is for the daughter and wife to agree on a second code word when the husband is being a pain, and insist that he's not real.

It makes sense, never know when somebody is going to try to impersonate you for any reason. That's why I told all my friends and family that the best way to know I'm the real me is if I say my codeword "chariots".

Honestly given the rise of generative audio being able to mimic someone at phone call quality from a small training set it's not unreasonable. That's the real clone or doppelganger to be fearful of.

I meant to bring this up at Christmas last year when we were all together but I'm going to for sure this year.

Does she have Capgras delusion?

That reminds me, I should really get around to telling my family my deactivation code, in case I ever go haywire or something.

Forward thinking folks, eh

When I was a teenager, like 20 years ago, a friend's messenger account got hacked. Some stranger was using her account to talk to her friends. It creeped us both out.

After that, we decided to use a code phrase to confirm our identities to each other. I haven't thought about this in such a long time, but I can still remember what it was. No, I'm not going to say it, but I will say that it was the name of a short-lived garage band whose members we were both friends with.

I think I'm gonna have to shoot her a text with half the phrase and see if she still remembers the rest.

Shoot them both...no more clone/doppelganger for anyone else to deal with.

My go to is "+5 Chaos Zweihander". No one will think of that.

Yes but is he gonna doppelBangHer?