Public figures deepfake video — Oct 2026

The Jammu and Kashmir Police have issued a formal warning regarding a surge in fraudulent advertisements on Facebook and Instagram that leverage deepfake technology to deceive the public. These malicious campaigns misuse the identities of ministers and other public figures to promote fabricated government welfare schemes, financial assistance programs, and cashback offers.

What happened

Attackers are utilizing manipulated or deepfake videos to create a false sense of legitimacy for their scams. By featuring familiar public figures, the advertisements aim to trick users into believing that the offers are genuine government initiatives. Once engaged, users are often redirected to fraudulent websites or prompted to initiate contact with scammers via phone calls and WhatsApp messages.

These scams typically follow a pattern of financial exploitation. Once a victim expresses interest in the purported benefits, fraudsters demand various payments under the guise of taxes, registration fees, processing charges, or verification costs. Furthermore, the police identified additional tactics, such as fake scratch-card and spin-and-win offers, designed to trick users into approving UPI Collect Requests or entering their UPI PINs, which can lead to direct financial losses.

In their cyber safety advisory, the police emphasized that the presence of a public figure in an advertisement is not a guarantee of authenticity. They have advised the public to verify any such offers exclusively through official government channels. Citizens are urged to avoid sharing sensitive financial information or making payments to claim unverified benefits. Those who have fallen victim to these cyber frauds are encouraged to report the incident immediately by calling the national cyber fraud helpline at 1930 or by visiting the official portal at cybercrime.gov.in.