Fraud using AI-based deepfaking reported in Kerala

Kerala police have raised an alert against online cheating using AI-based deepfaking after one such instance was reported in the state.

Kozhikode native Radhakrishnan lost Rs 40,000, which was recovered by the cyber operations wing of the Kerala police on Sunday.

The Kerala police alerted the people not to fall prey to such cheating based on video calls made using fake videos created using the AI deepfake technology.

Radhakrishnan was cheated using the fake video made using the picture of one of his former colleagues. He received a video call and the image of the person on the video call was that of one of his former colleagues in Andhra Pradesh. The caller also mentioned the names of some of their common friends to take Radhakrishnan into confidence. Later on, he requested Rs 40,000 as immediate assistance for a relative in hospital.

Radhakrishnan sent the amount online. But he became doubtful when the same person again asked for Rs 35,000. He subsequently contacted the former colleague and hence came to know that he was cheated. He reported the matter to the police and the police could track the transaction.

Kerala police cyber operation wing superintendent of police S Harishankar said that the money sent by Radhakrishnan was tracked at a private bank in Maharashtra and the bank authorities have frozen the amount. A probe is progressing to locate the real culprits.

It was the first such cheating case by faking videos using AI technology being reported in Kerala. The rackets make the fake video using pictures from social media. Information like names of common friends could be also known from social media.

Police cautioned the people to double check the veracity of such requests and alert the police over the helpline number 1930 swiftly in case of any cheating so that the transaction could be frozen.