Hyderabad: An AI video scam featuring a fake clip of Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman duped a woman in Old Bowenpally of nearly Rs 87 lakh in a fraudulent investment scheme.
The victim watched a video on social media that appeared to show the minister promoting stock investments. Believing it to be genuine, she clicked on the link provided in the clip. Soon after, she began receiving WhatsApp calls from unknown persons.
The fraudsters directed her to invest through a platform named ‘TradeGip’. They collected her ID proof and bank account details and created login credentials, including a user ID and password, claiming to set up her account.
AI video scam lures victim into fake investment platform
A caller identifying himself as Darsha convinced her that the investment would yield high returns. Initially, she invested Rs 60,000. Subsequently, the fraudsters persuaded her to deposit larger sums in multiple transactions.
Over time, she transferred a total of Rs 87.96 lakh. Although the platform displayed increasing returns on screen, the fraudsters blocked her attempts to withdraw the money.
Suspecting foul play, the victim approached Malkajgiri cybercrime police and filed a complaint. Police registered a case and initiated an investigation into the AI video scam.