Pune nurse falls victim to deepfake Ratan Tata…

In October 2024, a 38-year-old nurse from Pune, Maharashtra, fell victim to a sophisticated financial scam involving a deepfake video of the late industrialist Ratan Tata. The incident, which led to a loss of over Rs 4 lakh, highlights the growing threat of AI-generated impersonation in online investment fraud.

What happened

The victim encountered an advertisement on Instagram featuring a video of Ratan Tata discussing stock market investment opportunities. Believing the content to be genuine, she clicked the link and provided her personal information. Fraudsters subsequently contacted her and instructed her to register on a fraudulent online investment platform.

Between October 9, 2024, and June 13, 2025, the victim transferred a total of Rs 4,09,100 across 11 separate online transactions to accounts specified by the scammers. To maintain the illusion of legitimacy, the perpetrators provided access to a portal that falsely displayed significant returns on her investments. When the victim attempted to withdraw her funds, the fraudsters demanded additional payments, which ultimately triggered her suspicion and led her to realize she had been defrauded.

The victim filed a formal complaint with the Pune Cyber Police on March 4, 2026. Following an examination of the digital evidence, police registered an FIR against unidentified persons under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act. Authorities are currently investigating the digital payment trails and bank accounts involved in the scheme and have issued a public warning regarding the dangers of deepfake videos and unsolicited financial offers on social media.