Deepfake scam alert: Bengaluru police probe AI videos of Virat Kohli, Nirmala Sitharaman promoting fake stock apps; case filed under IT Act | Bengaluru News
BENGALURU: Cybercrime police have registered a suo motu case against unidentified individuals for circulating AI-generated videos featuring cricketer Virat Kohli, Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, industrialist Anant Ambani and other prominent personalities endorsing fake stock trading platforms.The accused allegedly used deepfake technology to create convincing videos of celebrities promoting fraudulent investment schemes.
Sub-inspector Rohini Reddy, while checking her social media accounts between Nov 1 and 3, found multiple videos of Sitharaman, Ambani, journalist Rajdeep Sardesai, MP Sudha Murty and her husband, Infosys co-founder NR Narayana Murthy, actor Hrithik Roshan, Kohli and other prominent personalities. The videos promoted stock market trading, and the celebrities were shown telling viewers to download a few applications, register their profile and invest, and assuring them of profits, ranging between Rs 10,000 and Rs 1 lakh. The videos even suggested making investments in online games to earn huge profits. Rohini suspected the videos were fake and sent them to the police commissioner. After the videos were analysed, it was confirmed they were deepfakes, made with AI. A senior police officer said cybercrooks use fake videos of prominent personalities to lure people and cheat them. A case has been registered under the Information Technology Act and BNS Section 318 (cheating).
