Kerala man's Rs 40,000 gone in a flash after video call from fake colleague

The Rise of AI-Driven Deepfake Scams: Protect Yourself from Deceptive Calls

In Short:

• Kerala Man Loses Rs 40,000: Victim falls prey to AI-based deepfake WhatsApp scam, losing money to deceptive impersonation.
• Deceptive AI Technology: Scammers use AI-driven deepfake tech to create fake videos, tricking victims into sharing personal information or money.
• Stay Vigilant: Avoid AI-based deepfake scams by being cautious of unknown callers, not sharing personal details, and verifying callers' identities.

AI-Based Deepfake Scams: A Rising Threat:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is part of our lives now. It helps us plan vacations and offers smart personal assistance, changing how we see technology. However, not everything about AI is good. Some bad people, like scammers, are using AI for their tricks. As AI becomes more common, scammers are trying to update their tactics using AI-based deepfake technology to steal money from people.

The Scam:

A man from Kerala got cheated out of Rs 40,000 by an AI-deepfake scam. 

Here's how it happened: 

He got a video call from an unknown number, and the person on the call looked like his former colleague from Andhra Pradesh. The caller even knew the names of some common friends, making the man trust the call. Believing it was genuine, he continued the video call. But after a few minutes, the caller asked for Rs 40,000 for immediate help with a relative in the hospital. Wanting to be helpful, the man sent the money online. But later, the caller asked for Rs 35,000 more, and that's when the man became suspicious. He checked with his former colleague and realized he had been tricked. The call was fake. The man reported the fraud to the police.

The Investigation and Scammers:

The police started investigating and found that the scammers used AI technology to create fake videos. They make these fake videos using pictures from social media and find information like names of common friends from there.

Warning and Safety Tips:

Police are warning people about online cheating using AI-based deepfakes. To be safe from such scams:

• Be careful with calls from unknown people. If someone claims to be a friend or family member, ask them a personal question only they would know.
• Don't share personal information or money with people you don't know or trust.
• If you suspect a call might be fake, end it immediately and contact the person using a verified phone number to check if it's real.
• Report any suspicious calls to the police.

Conclusion:

The AI-based deepfake scam that happened in Kerala shows us how technology can be misused by scammers. It's essential to stay vigilant and not trust unknown callers blindly. By being cautious and following the safety tips, we can protect ourselves from falling victim to such fraudulent schemes.