Indore family duped of ₹1 lakh in deepfake kidnapping threat
An Indore family lost over ₹1 lakh after cybercriminals are believed to have used deepfake tech to fake their son's kidnapping.
The scammers sent a video call showing what looked like their son being held hostage, demanding money or threatening harm.
This is believed to be the first reported case of its kind in the city.
How the incident unfolded
The student went missing on February 2 after coaching class, prompting his family to file a police complaint and share his details online.
The next day, they got a video call from an unknown number with threats and a QR code for payment.
Fearing for their son's safety, they transferred ₹1.02 lakh. Later, the boy contacted a friend and revealed he was safe—the whole thing was a scam in which police believe deepfake technology may have been used.
Police say the call came from a UK-based number but the money trail leads back to India.
The investigation is ongoing, with authorities looking into how the fake video was made and who's behind it.