How It Works
Fraudsters use manipulated media technology to digitally recreate the face and voice of a colleague, friend, or official during a live video call, convincing the victim that they are speaking to someone they trust. This can be used to authorize fund transfers or extract sensitive information.
Real Example
A 73-year-old man in Kerala lost ₹40,000 after a scammer used a manipulated video call where the impersonator's face and voice matched his former colleague exactly — believed to be India's first reported manipulated video call scam.
Red Flags 🚩
- Video call quality looks slightly off — odd blinking, lighting, or lip-sync
- The "person" avoids answering personal questions only the real person would know
- Urgent request for money or sensitive data during the call
- Call comes through an unfamiliar app or link instead of a known contact
Protection Steps 🛡️
- Ask a question only the real person would know the answer to.
- End the call and reconnect through a known, verified channel.
- Be suspicious of any video call demanding urgent financial action.
- Report manipulated media scam attempts to local cybercrime cells.