Deepfake

A deepfake is a fake video, photo or audio made with AI to show someone saying or doing things they never did, often used in scams.

Deepfake: A deepfake is media created or changed with artificial intelligence to make a person appear to say or do something they did not. It can be a video, a photo or a voice. Scammers use deepfakes to impersonate relatives, officials, celebrities or company bosses.

In India, fake videos of famous people promoting investment schemes spread on social media, and some scammers join video calls using altered faces to pretend to be a relative or an officer. The video may look decent at first, yet careful viewing often shows odd blinking, blurred edges around the face, mismatched lips or strange lighting. Fake clips may also be used to blackmail, so do not panic if someone threatens to share an altered video of you.

Quality will keep improving, so do not rely on spotting flaws alone. Check through a second channel: call the person on their saved number, ask something only they know, and agree a family code word. If someone shows a video to pressure you for money, stop and verify before you pay. If you are ever targeted, keep the evidence and report it at cybercrime.gov.in.

Tips

• Verify any urgent video request for money by calling the person on their saved number.
• Agree a family code word that a scammer would not know.
• Be doubtful of celebrity videos that promise guaranteed profits or free money.

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