Cyber & Ai graduation project

In a recent cybercrime incident in Visakhapatnam, a 75-year-old victim was defrauded of over ₹10 lakh after encountering social media advertisements utilizing AI-generated content. The scam leveraged doctored images of Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar to deceptively endorse a fraudulent investment platform.

What happened

The victim discovered a social media advertisement featuring the fabricated celebrity endorsements, which promised guaranteed monthly returns on investments. After clicking the provided link and registering on the platform, the victim was contacted by unknown individuals who persuaded him to pay an initial registration fee of ₹20,000 via UPI. Encouraged by the promise of profits, the victim invested over ₹2 lakh. To build false confidence, the fraudsters credited ₹50,000 to the victim's account, creating an illusion of legitimacy. This prompted the victim to transfer an additional ₹8.5 lakh.

The victim was directed to use a trading application called 'Social Venture Capitalist,' where his account displayed a fake profit of nearly ₹2 crore. When the victim attempted to withdraw these funds, the perpetrators demanded further payments for taxes and additional charges. Upon realizing the deception, the victim contacted the cybercrime police station in Visakhapatnam. Authorities have since registered a case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act. Officials noted that this is part of a broader trend across Andhra Pradesh, where cybercriminals utilize AI-generated images and videos on platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp to promote fraudulent schemes. Police continue to urge the public to verify the authenticity of investment opportunities and to remain cautious of promises regarding guaranteed financial returns.