Cybercrime in India: AI deepfakes and deceptive listings used in major frauds

Cybercriminals in India are employing increasingly sophisticated methods to defraud citizens, utilizing both advanced artificial intelligence and deceptive digital listings.

In one instance, a 65-year-old woman used AI-driven tools to impersonate a 30-year-old corporate professional named ‘Hasina’. By utilizing generative AI for face-swapping, real-time voice cloning to mimic a younger woman, and deepfake filters during brief video calls, she lured a victim into a romantic relationship. The victim was subsequently defrauded of ₹21 lakh through false promises of marriage.

In a separate incident in Indore, a woman was defrauded of ₹3.96 lakh after searching for an eye hospital on Google. The victim contacted a number that had been falsely listed under the name of ‘Rajesh Netralaya’. The scammer, posing as a hospital employee, engaged the victim in a conversation regarding medical treatment and manipulated her into making a small initial payment of ₹5, which eventually led to the unauthorized transfer of the larger sum.