Deepfakes and AI Scams: How to Tell What Is Real Online, and Where to Report Fraud
A cloned voice asking for money, a fake video of a public figure, an official 'threatening' to disconnect your number. Simple habits that beat most scams.
Your phone rings. It is your son, or at least it sounds exactly like him. He is in trouble and needs ₹40,000 right now, and please don't tell his mother. Your heart is pounding. This scenario, a voice clone used to impersonate a relative, is becoming possible because AI can imitate a person's voice from a short recording, such as a social media video. It is a good reason to learn a few simple habits.
What deepfakes are
A deepfake is audio, video or an image that has been generated or altered by AI to look or sound like a real person doing or saying something they never did. They range from harmless parody to serious fraud and political misinformation.
The important point: most scams don't need advanced AI. Fraudsters mainly use pressure: urgency, fear, secrecy and authority. The Department of Telecommunications has repeatedly warned about calls claiming to be from the DoT or TRAI that threaten to disconnect your mobile number. The DoT has said it does not authorise anyone to make such calls, and has warned against unfamiliar international numbers, not starting with +91, claiming to be Indian officials. AI makes such scams more convincing but doesn't change their pattern.
Warning signs
- Urgency and secrecy: "Do it now," "don't tell anyone."
- Unusual payment requests: gift cards, crypto or transfers to unknown accounts.
- A new number or channel for someone you know.
- Authority claims: police, customs, tax or a "digital arrest."
- Offers that are too good to be true.
In videos and images, look for odd blinking or lip movement that doesn't match the words, blurred edges around the face or hair, inconsistent lighting, and strange hands or text. Don't rely on these clues alone, since the technology is improving.
Five habits that work
- Pause and verify through another channel. Hang up and call the person on the number you already have. Better still, agree a family code word to use in emergencies.
- Never share OTPs, PINs or passwords with anyone, ever, whatever they claim.
- Check the source of shocking videos. Search for the story on reliable news sites before sharing.
- Limit what you post. Public voice and video clips make cloning easier.
- Use the tools on your phone to block spam callers, and keep apps updated.
Where to report in India
- Money already lost? Call the cybercrime helpline 1930 immediately and file a complaint at cybercrime.gov.in. Speed matters, because banks can sometimes freeze funds if told quickly.
- Suspicious call, SMS or WhatsApp message, no money lost yet? Report it on the Chakshu facility on the government's Sanchar Saathi portal. Chakshu is for reporting suspected fraud, not frauds that have already happened.
- Fake videos or accounts: use the reporting tools on the platform and keep screenshots.
What this means for you
AI scams succeed when we are rushed. A calm minute, a call-back and a refusal to share codes will stop the great majority of them. Teach older relatives the same habits. Technology for detecting fakes is improving, and our companion article on generative AI explains how the fakes are made in the first place.
Sources
This article draws on the following reporting. Dates are when each source was originally published.
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