According to police officials, the victim, identified as Radhakrishnan received a video call on WhatsApp from an unknown number. Apparently, the swindlers used Artificial Intelligence tools to generate a deepfake video of the victim’s old colleague knew. To further maintain the trust, the scam caller cunningly mentioned the victim’s former acquaintances.
During their conversation, the scammer made a desperate request of ₹40,000, stating a medical urgency of a relative who is in the hospital. Trusting the caller, Radhakrishnan provided the financial aid, via Google Pay.
Later, the caller made another request to Radhakrishnan, of ₹40,000, which raised his suspicions. Following this, he reached out to his colleague directly. To his disbelief, he discovered the entire incident was in fact an AI based deepfake fraud, and he was robbed./ Realizing the fraud, he immediately filed a complaint to the Cyber Police.
The cyber cell promptly investigated the case and managed to the bank authorities of the bank account where the money was kept. Apparently, the bank account was traced back to private bank located in Maharashtra.
This was the first incidence of deepfake fraud based on Al that has been detected in the state, according to the Kerala Police Cyber Cell.
Modus Operandi: The scammers collect images from social media profiles and use artificial intelligence to create misleading films. These con artists use Al technology in conjunction with details like mutual friends' names to appear legitimate and con innocent individuals.
How to Protect Oneself From Deepfakes?
Similar cases of deepfakes and other AI-based frauds have raised concerns for cyber security professionals.
Experts have cautioned against such scams and provided some safety advice. Because the majority of deepfakes have subpar resolution, people are urged to examine the video quality. When closely examined, it is obvious that the deepfake films are fake since they either abruptly end or loop back to the beginning after a predetermined length of time. Before conducting any financial transactions, it is also a good idea to get in touch with a person separately to confirm that they are truly participating in the video conversation.
