AI Fraud: Kozhikode Man Loses Rs 40,000 in Deepfake Scam – News18

A Kozhikode man lost Rs 40,000 in a fraud involving the use of AI. Kerala Police have traced the account to which the cash was transferred and have frozen it.

Radhakrishnan received WhatsApp messages from one of his former colleagues, stating that his sister had been hospitalized in an emergency and he was in Dubai, facing difficulties in transferring cash.

When Radhakrishnan expressed doubt about the person’s identity, he was assured that the individual would make a WhatsApp video call. During the video call, the fraudster used AI to create a deepfake by presenting himself as Radhakrishnan’s former colleague.

Trusting the authenticity of the call, Radhakrishnan transferred Rs 40,000 to the provided account. Subsequently, the fraudster asked for an additional Rs 30,000, which raised suspicions in Radhakrishnan’s mind. He promptly filed a complaint with the police on Saturday.

Kozhikode DCP, K E Baiju, stated, “There is a WhatsApp group that includes Radhakrishnan and his former colleagues. One of their phones was hacked, and personal details were stolen, including their photos, which were then used through AI to create the deepfake. The fraudsters even approached someone else in Radhakrishnan’s name.”

The police have identified the account to which the money was transferred and have frozen it. An ongoing investigation is underway to determine the individuals associated with the account, which is based in Maharashtra.