Deepfake case study · Video
Govt debunks fake AI-generated video falsely linking FM Sitharaman to investment scheme - The…
The Indian government debunked a deepfake video falsely depicting Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman endorsing a fraudulent AI investment scheme.
- Incident date
- May 2026
- Target
- Nirmala Sitharaman
Updated May 25, 2026 · 1 min read
A viral social media post falsely claimed that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was promoting an AI investment scheme. The video promised a high monthly income against a relatively small initial investment.
What happened
The government's Fact Check Unit of the Press Information Bureau investigated the claims. They determined that the video was AI-generated and that the Finance Minister had not endorsed any such investment scheme. Officials warned citizens to avoid clicking suspicious links, as they could be phishing attempts, and to verify information through official government websites.