CBCID books case over AI deepfake video impersonating…
The Tamil Nadu CB-CID has launched an investigation into a series of AI deepfake videos impersonating Chief Minister C Vijay Joseph to scam the public
- Incident date
- Sep 2026
- Target
- C Vijay Joseph
The Cyber Crime Cell of the CB-CID has registered a formal case following the discovery of AI-generated deepfake videos impersonating Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Vijay Joseph. These deceptive videos were used in an attempt to defraud the public by promising financial assistance.
What happened
On September 1, 2026, the Cyber Crime team identified a deepfake video circulating on Facebook during routine patrolling. The video featured the Chief Minister with Hindi audio, instructing viewers to contact a specific WhatsApp number to receive financial help. Preliminary investigations revealed that this was not an isolated incident; multiple similar videos portraying the Chief Minister have been distributed across Facebook and other social media platforms.
Authorities noted that several of the Facebook IDs involved in the dissemination of these videos appear to be based in Pakistan. In response, the CB-CID has initiated a formal investigation, contacted Meta to request information regarding the accounts and relevant logs, and issued takedown requests for the fraudulent content.
The Tamil Nadu Police have issued a public warning, urging citizens to avoid contacting the phone numbers or joining the WhatsApp groups featured in these videos. Officials emphasized that the content is fabricated by scammers and encouraged the public to educate family members about these online threats while remaining cautious of suspicious social media activity.