Tamil Nadu Chief Minister impersonated in AI deepfake and loan scams

Authorities in India have launched investigations into a series of online scams involving AI-generated deepfake videos and fraudulent schemes impersonating Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Vijay Joseph.

The Cyber Crime Cell of the CB-CID registered a case after detecting deepfake videos on Facebook. These videos, some reportedly shared via accounts based in Pakistan, use Hindi audio to impersonate the Chief Minister and urge viewers to contact a WhatsApp number for financial assistance. The CB-CID has approached Meta to obtain information regarding the fake accounts and to request the removal of the content.

In a separate development, the Madhya Pradesh Police in Indore have received six complaints regarding a fraud racket using the Chief Minister’s name. These scammers allegedly posed as officials from a trust associated with Vijay, promising loans for small businesses. Victims were reportedly charged registration, verification, and processing fees ranging from ₹1,000 to ₹50,000 before the fraudsters disappeared.

Police departments in both Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh have urged the public to remain vigilant, avoid responding to suspicious social media offers, and refrain from making upfront payments to individuals claiming to represent organizations associated with the Chief Minister.