The Tamil Nadu CB-CID has registered a case and initiated an investigation into an artificial intelligence-generated deepfake video impersonating Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, in which scammers allegedly offered financial assistance to deceive the public. Circulated across multiple social media platforms, the fabricated visual material was detected during routine cyber patrolling by the state police social media centre on September 1. Following detection, the cybercrime wing examined the recording and confirmed it was artificially created using the Chief Minister’s public identity.
Fabricated Appeal Directs Viewers to WhatsApp Contact
The fake clip depicts a person resembling the Chief Minister speaking in Hindi. The individual addresses viewers and urges anyone seeking monetary aid to reach out through a designated WhatsApp contact. Investigators suspect that this approach was designed to gain public trust rapidly before steering prospective victims toward private messaging channels allegedly operated by the syndicate.
According to the police, the clip was circulated across Facebook and other popular social media spaces. The use of the Chief Minister’s identity and administrative standing significantly heightened the likelihood of people mistaking the simulated announcement for an authentic official initiative. Special teams are currently examining whether unsuspecting individuals have already fallen victim to the financial ruse, or whether the wider distribution of the clip was an initial step in organising a broader cyber fraud campaign.
Overseas Profiles and Platform Takedown Requests
A preliminary inquiry revealed several other synthetic clips depicting the Chief Minister offering funds remain active across different platforms. Police sources revealed that certain accounts involved in circulating the recordings were traced to Facebook profiles suspected of operating from Pakistan. The investigation is working to determine the point of creation, the initial uploaders, and the digital channels used to spread the fraudulent materials.
Technical investigators have formally approached Meta to obtain detailed account logs and upload records linked to the suspicious profiles. Law enforcement authorities hope this administrative data will expose the originating source and clarify the digital network behind the coordinated campaign. Simultaneously, procedural interventions have been launched to secure the immediate removal of the fabricated recordings from online platforms and restrict further public exposure.
Official Warning on Verification and Personal Data
The CB-CID issued a formal advisory urging citizens not to contact the telephone numbers featured in the recordings or join groups promoted through them. Officers stressed that the identity of the Chief Minister was entirely fabricated for deceptive purposes. Cybercrime analysts noted that modern deepfake methods are increasingly deployed to establish credibility, using simulated appearances of trusted leaders to promote fake investments, employment schemes, or financial aid packages.
The police reiterated that no claims of government assistance or official messages should be treated as legitimate without cross-checking through official state channels. Citizens were explicitly warned against releasing sensitive identity papers, banking credentials, or personal records through unknown numbers, messaging groups, or unverified online links.
