Tamil Nadu Police Launch Probe Into AI-Generated Deepfake Scam Targeting CM C. Joseph Vijay

CHENNAI: The Cyber Crime wing of the Crime Branch-CID (CB-CID) has launched a high-priority investigation into a sophisticated digital fraud scheme involving an AI-generated deepfake video that impersonates Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay. The fraudulent content, which purportedly depicts the Chief Minister promising financial assistance to the public, has prompted authorities to contact Meta for immediate intervention.

The investigation began on Tuesday after cyber patrolling units identified a viral video in which an AI-replicated version of the Chief Minister is seen speaking in Hindi. Officials confirmed that the video was being circulated across Facebook and various social media platforms with the explicit intent to deceive vulnerable citizens.

According to preliminary findings, this is not an isolated incident. Investigators have uncovered a network of similar deepfake videos featuring the Chief Minister, many of which are being disseminated through Facebook accounts linked to Pakistan-based IP addresses.

The modus operandi appears to be highly organized. A senior CB-CID official explained the mechanics of the scam to the New Indian Express: “We suspect the scheme relies on directing viewers to a WhatsApp number displayed in the video. Once a user reaches out, they are added to a specific WhatsApp group where the scammers initiate their financial fraud. Furthermore, because the audio in these clips is in Hindi, it is clear that the perpetrators are specifically targeting Hindi-speaking populations both within and outside the state.”

As the investigation gains momentum, the CB-CID has formally approached Meta—the parent company of Facebook and WhatsApp—to secure critical data. Police are seeking the registration details of the fake accounts, associated log records, and device identifiers to track down the entities behind the operation.

Simultaneously, the cyber wing has requested that Meta proactively remove the deceptive content to prevent further financial exploitation of the public. Authorities have issued a warning to the public, urging them to exercise extreme caution and to refrain from engaging with suspicious social media messages or WhatsApp groups promising government financial aid.

The use of AI-driven impersonation in political spheres has become a growing concern for law enforcement agencies, who are now increasingly relying on digital forensics and cross-platform cooperation with tech giants to combat the rising tide of deepfake-related crime.