Purported Deepfake Video Reportedly Portrayed Nirmala Sitharaman Endorsing Investment Scheme
A purported deepfake video reportedly portrayed Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman as endorsing an investment scheme claiming Rs 22,000 (about $236 USD) could yield Rs 5.5 lakh (about $5,900 USD) in a week. PIB Fact Check publicly debunked the video on April 16, 2026, stating it was fake and AI-generated and warning that neither the Government of India nor the minister endorsed the scheme.
- Date it happened
- 2026-04-16
- Organisation involved
- Scammers, Scammers in India, Scammers impersonating Nirmala Sitharaman, Investment scam operators
- Product, system or model
- Synthetic audio generation technology, Deepfake technology, Synthetic media generation technology
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This is a record of what was reported, not a finding that anyone broke the law. If it names your organisation and you believe it is wrong, the corrections process is free and open to everyone.