Investment fraud alert: Hyderabad doctor scammed of Rs. 20,13,305 via AI-Generated Ad

Hyderabad: A 71-year-old woman, a doctor from Hyderabad, lost ₹20,13,305 (Twenty Lakh Thirteen Thousand Three Hundred and Five Rupees) in an investment fraud on March 27, 2025. She encountered an advertisement featuring an AI-generated video of Nirmala Sitharaman promoting an investment opportunity, which included a link. Following the link, an individual contacted her on WhatsApp from the number +44 7386 871481.

The fraudster requested personal details, including Aadhaar card, PAN card, and bank information for registration. The victim was then directed to another person claiming to be a financial advisor from Fin Bridge Capital. The advisor suggested starting with a small investment of ₹20,000.

Trusting the advisor, the victim invested the initial amount. The fraudsters later showed her profits in dollars and convinced her to invest more. Believing the scheme was genuine, she invested the total amount ₹20,13,305 (Twenty Lakh Thirteen Thousand Three Hundred and Five Rupees). They showed her an alleged profit of $79,850 in Bitcoin Block.

When the victim tried to withdraw her money, the fraudsters demanded additional payments for withdrawal. Realizing she had been defrauded, she filed an online complaint seeking help.

 Public Advisory:

Authorities warn the public to be cautious of online investment frauds involving AI-generated videos, fake financial advisor profiles, and fraudulent websites.

• Do not trust investment advertisements or videos using celebrity or government official images.
• Never share personal or banking details with unknown contacts or over WhatsApp.
• Avoid clicking on suspicious links in ads or messages and always verify the website’s legitimacy.
• Use only SEBI-approved apps for investment and verify the registration of financial advisors.
• Be wary of international phone numbers claiming to represent Indian financial firms.
• Genuine firms do not demand money to withdraw profits.
• Scammers may credit small amounts to gain confidence and allow partial withdrawals before blocking further transactions.

Victims of cybercrime can call 1930 or visit cybercrime.gov.in. For emergencies, contact via call or WhatsApp at 8712665171.