I4C warns of AI deepfake scams using PM Modi videos

I4C warning on deepfake scams

The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) issued an advisory on Monday, 19 October 2026, alerting the public to a surge in financial fraud on Facebook and Instagram that uses AI‑generated deepfake videos of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the finance minister and several chief ministers. The National Cybercrime Threat Analytics Unit (NCTAU), which prepared the notice, said scammers are masquerading these leaders to promote bogus welfare schemes and cashback contests, then siphoning money through fake fees, taxes and UPI collect requests.

How the scams work

According to the NCTAU, an advertisement will display a manipulated video in which a senior official appears to announce a new benefit – for example, a “financial assistance” programme or a “cash‑back reward” via a scratch‑card or spin‑and‑win game. The post includes a phone number or a WhatsApp link that routes victims to a fraudulent website. Once on the site, users are asked to pay registration, processing or verification charges, or they are prompted to approve a UPI collect request and enter their UPI PIN. In many cases, the fraudsters also place follow‑up calls from international numbers, predominantly bearing Pakistan’s +92 country code, claiming the caller has been “selected” for the scheme.

The advisory notes that victims often make several payments, leading to “substantial cumulative losses”. The money is transferred directly from the victim’s bank account to accounts controlled by the perpetrators.

Government advice

The I4C urges people to verify any welfare scheme through the official website of the relevant department before acting on a social‑media post. It also advises users to:

• check the identity of anyone claiming to represent a government department;
• avoid sharing Aadhaar, PAN, bank details or one‑time passwords with unknown callers;
• review the recipient and purpose of every UPI request, remembering that a UPI PIN authorises payments, not receipts;
• report incidents to the national cyber‑crime helpline 1930 or lodge a complaint on www.cybercrime.gov.in.

By circulating the advisory, the central government demonstrates its readiness to tackle emerging digital threats and protect citizens’ finances, reinforcing the broader narrative of a secure, digitally empowered India.

Why the warning matters

Deepfake technology has become increasingly accessible, allowing fraudsters to create convincing video footage of public figures with minimal effort. The rapid spread of such content on meta platforms threatens to erode public trust in genuine government communications. The prompt response from the Ministry of Home Affairs’ cyber unit signals that the administration is monitoring the threat and taking concrete steps to mitigate it, underscoring India’s commitment to maintaining stability in the digital sphere.