Deepfake Scam: Belagavi Man Loses ₹7.9 Lakh After Watching Fake Nirmala Sitharaman Video

A senior citizen in Belagavi has been cheated out of ₹7.9 lakh in a shocking case of online fraud. The scammers used a deepfake video of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to lure him in.

The victim, 76-year-old Prakash Gubbi, fell for an advertisement that promised quick and high profits from stock market investments. The ad featured a deepfake video of the Finance Minister, making the offer look legitimate.

According to the police complaint, Gubbi clicked on a link in the ad and filled in his details. Soon after, the fraudsters called him up and convinced him to start investing.

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Deepfake Scam

He first transferred ₹16,500 through PhonePe. The scammers then promised even bigger returns and got him to transfer a total of ₹7.9 lakh through RTGS into their accounts. Once the money was transferred, they cut all contact.

When Gubbi tried to get his money back, the scammers tried to trick him again. They told him he would only get his principal amount and profits if he invested more money.

A case has been registered at the Cyber Crime Police Station against two individuals, Adarsh Anand from Kolhapur and Damodar from Buldhana in Maharashtra. The investigation is now underway.

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