Hackers Use Deepfake Software To Create Fake Nudes, Extort Money On Instagram; Noida Man Loses Rs 1 Lakh

Noida: The ill effects of deep fake technology have started showing its scary side. A Noida resident was on a verge of a breakdown after he started getting threats on Instagram to pay a ransom or his obscene video will be made public.

It was after paying an amount of Rs one lakh the victim realized that the video was morphed and his deep fake video was made to extort money.

Cybercriminals are targeting those who are regular at parties, nightclub, gym, spa, health centres etc and making their fake nude using deep fake software. Usually, the victim is shown in an obscene act or taking shower or having sex.

The latest victim of such scam is Sector 15 A resident Gaurav Bajoria. According to the FIR filed by him, it was on July 23 he received a message from an Instagram ID – shivaniiz who shared a video of him doing explicit sexual content. She threatened Bajoria to pay extortion of Rs one lakh or she will circulate the video on social media sites. Bajoria said he was not sure about the video but it had his face in the video so avoiding any embarrassment he paid Rs one lakh via 10 transactions in two Paytm number.

But, his woes didn’t end here. Soon after the payment, his friend Ritika Bhasin informed him that she has received an obscene video of Bajoria and threatened to pay more money.

Other friends of Bajroia also received similar messages through fake Instagram accounts. It was then when Bajoria realized that criminals are trying to scare and extort money and it was not him in the video. “The video was morphed using deep fake so that it appears real. Bajoria also informed Instagram, which blocked the account through which he was getting messages,” said a senior police officer.

The criminals are still out of police net but such cases of morphing pictures and video and extorting money are getting common. “Paying money is not the solution. Best way to nail such criminals is by reporting to the police,” said a senior police officer.

The menace of deep fake pictures and videos is just getting bigger and worrying. Recently, an international cybersecurity firm – Sensity found a “deepfake ecosystem” on the encrypted messaging app –Telegram, which is centered around AI-powered bots and can generate fake nudes on request.

What is a deep fake?

Everyone remembers the iconic six by MS Dhoni to win the World cup. It was beautifully replaced by Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput who played dhoni in Dhoni’s biopic using deepfake.

A technology quite commonly used in movies is not being used by criminals. It can seamlessly stitch anyone in the world into a video or photo they never actually happened. Through artificial intelligence, anyone can be replaced in the visual.

Such deep fake videos are not very easy to detect. It is only after taking a closer look around the edges of the face one can spot the difference. Usually skin tone, lighting and shadow don’t match around the corner of eye and ears of such videos.