New Delhi:
An AI deepfake video using the likeness of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was doing the rounds on social media, promising returns of Rs 80,000 in a day and up to Rs 15 lakh a month with an investment of Rs 22,000.
Artificial intelligence was used to make it appear that Singh himself was speaking. The Indian flag and the national emblem were also used to lend the video more legitimacy.
Debunking the video, Athenian Tech, a threat hunting platform for businesses, pointed out that it also features “a horizontally scrolling ‘official partners’ strip carrying the logos of PNB, Bank of Baroda, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, SBI and Infosys – used without authorisation to manufacture credibility.”
In the nearly two-minute clip, the fraudsters claim that an investment of Rs 22,000 will yield Rs 80,000 in one day and up to Rs 15 lakh in a month. They claim that the project is “approved” by the Government of India and supported by “very influential banks”.
“Your funds are secured. In case you do not earn the promised amount, we guarantee we will pay you Rs 10 lakh as compensation,” Singh’s likeness says in the video.
Athenian Tech noted that the scammers say registration is open “only until the end of this day”, creating manufactured urgency. The link which people are urged to click redirects to v4rbecjinkwedraf[.]com, a throwaway landing page which replicates the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) website.
The fact-check unit of the Press Information Bureau (PIB) has also said the video is fake and AI-generated.
“The Defence Minister or the Government of India has NOT endorsed any such investment project or scheme. Beware! Fraudsters often use false endorsements to lure people into investment scams and steal their money. Always verify such claims through official sources before believing or sharing them,” PIB Fact Check’s X handle posted.
