AI deepfake scam cheats Visakhapatnam resident of ₹80,000
A case of AI-powered impersonation has come to light in the city, with a Resapuvanipalem resident allegedly losing ₹80,000 after cyber fraudsters used deepfake voice and video technology to pose as senior political leaders.
Police said the victim, Srinivasa Reddy, had posted on social media seeking development of a public park in Seethampeta and tagged a few public representatives. Four days later, he received a WhatsApp call from an unknown number. The caller introduced himself as former minister Devineni Uma and questioned him about the post.
According to Cyber Crime Police, the fraudster claimed that the post had come to the notice of Minister Nara Lokesh and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, and warned that it could damage the image of the coalition government. He then told Mr. Reddy that the Chief Minister would speak to him directly.
Shortly after, Mr. Reddy received a video call where a person resembling the Chief Minister spoke to him. Investigators suspect the video was generated using AI-based deepfake technology.
The caller then said funds were needed to process the proposed park development through the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation and sent a QR code. Believing the request to be genuine, Mr. Reddy transferred ₹80,000. The fraud was detected the next day when Mr. Reddy tried to contact the same number and found the WhatsApp profile picture had been removed. Suspecting fraud, he approached the Cyber Crime Police and lodged a complaint.
Verify before you transfer
Police said the incident reflects a growing trend where cybercriminals are using AI tools to make scams more convincing. While earlier frauds relied on fake profiles and messages, fraudsters are now employing cloned voices and deepfake videos to deceive victims.
Cyber Crime Circle Inspector K. Bhavani Prasad urged caution. “People should not assume a video call is genuine merely because it appears to feature the Chief Minister, a minister, an IAS or IPS officer. Any request for money related to official work must be independently verified. If in doubt, report it to police immediately,” he said.
Police have advised citizens not to share personal details or transfer money based on instructions received through unknown numbers, video calls or social media without proper verification.