In a major crackdown on digital fraud, the Southwest District Cyber Police in Delhi have uncovered a large AI-driven investment scam and arrested 11 individuals involved in the operation.
The accused allegedly created a fake video of the Union Finance Minister using artificial intelligence and circulated it on social media to attract investors. According to police, the gang cheated victims of ₹22.67 lakh and was working for international cybercriminals based in Cambodia.
The arrested individuals include Tajinder Singh alias Lucky (26), Ashish Saini (24), Shiv Dayal Singh (28), Shiva (18), Giriraj Kishore (18), Ramdev Sangla (50), Praveen Kumawat alias Lucky (20), Deepak Mewada alias Dev (35), Trilok Chand Nayak (32), Pratibha alias Payal (25), and Satish (34). Police seized 40 mobile phones, 92 fake SIM cards, 39 passbooks and checkbooks, 27 ATM cards, laptops, 6 UPI scanners, a printer, forged documents, and other digital devices.
A 60-year-old victim told police he saw a video of the Finance Minister on social media urging investment through a specific app. Initially, small profits were shown to build trust, but communication later stopped, leading to a loss of ₹22.67 lakh.
Investigations revealed that the accused used AI to create a realistic video promoting investments. The video was widely shared on Facebook and other platforms, misleading users.
Police also found that the gang operated fake call centres in Rohini and Netaji Subhash Place. Funds were routed through mule accounts across multiple banks. During raids, several accused were arrested on site, while further arrests were made in Rajasthan and Delhi. The network was also linked to operations in Mumbai.
The accused admitted to managing mule accounts and sharing details through WhatsApp and other platforms. These accounts were handed over to a person identified as PK in Mumbai. The entire operation was reportedly run for Cambodia-based cybercriminals targeting Indian citizens with false promises of high returns.
Police are now analysing the digital network to identify more victims and trace the total fraud amount. Authorities have warned that misuse of AI in scams is increasing and advised citizens to verify investment offers carefully.
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