The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Center (I4C) issued a warning on Monday about the use of deepfake videos of chief ministers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Union Finance Minister Nirmal Sitharaman in misleading political advertisements on Facebook and Instagram.
The National Cybercrime Threat Analytics Unit (NCTAU) has observed a rise in financial fraud through advertisements that impersonate public and political figures to promote purported government schemes promising financial assistance to the needy, it said.
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"These advertisements impersonate well known public and political figures, including the prime minister of India, the finance minister, chief ministers of states, to promote fake government welfare schemes and promise financial assistance," the warning noted.
Ads, on Meta Platforms involving manipulated and deepfake videos, ostensibly show the public figures announcing and promoting a welfare scheme allegedly intended to provide financial assistance to the needy, the I4C, under the Union Home Ministry, said.
"The advertisements containing phone numbers either offer financial assistance under a purported welfare scheme or cashback/rewards through scratch-card or spin-and-win offers. Many of the websites fall under the category of political advertisements," it said.
According to the advisory, victims are directed to phone numbers, WhatsApp chats or fraudulent websites to claim the promised benefits.
They are then coerced into making repeated payments under the pretext of taxes, processing fees, registration charges, verification fees or other administrative expenses.
The fraud results in multiple payments and substantial cumulative financial losses, the agency said.
In several cases, victims receive calls from international numbers, predominantly those beginning with Pakistan's country code, +92, it said.
Callers claim that the victims have been randomly selected to receive the promised funds, the advisory said.
In other cases, victims are redirected to websites featuring scratch-card or spin-and-win offers and are tricked into approving UPI collect requests from fraudulent merchants, it said.
Some victims are directed to payment apps and induced to enter their UPI PIN under the pretext of receiving the prize money, the warning said.
The transaction instead debits money from their accounts and transfers it to the fraudsters.
The NCTAU has advised people to verify welfare schemes on the official websites of the government departments concerned before acting on social media advertisements.
Individuals should confirm the identification of anyone claiming to represent a government department through legitimate means, as well as the purpose and receiver of any charge or payment sought in connection with a welfare benefit.
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Additionally, the organization has advised people not to give out their Aadhaar, PAN, bank account information, one-time passwords, or UPI PINs to strangers.
Public authorities should be cautiously viewed in voice and video recordings, and their statements should be confirmed by official sources.
Users should carefully review the transaction information before approving a UPI collect request or entering a UPI PIN. According to the advise, a UPI PIN only authorises payments; it is not necessary to receive money.
(With PTI Inputs)
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