CMs of two Telugu States fall victims to deepfake fraud

The Chief Ministers of two Telugu States fall victim to deep fakes. Both were seen selling financial schemes that offer a guaranteed income of ₹2 lakhs in one month on investing ₹21,000. The hackers used old videos of the Chief Ministers participating in panel discussions with Rajdeep Sardesai and a Telugu news presenter.

The deepfakes even advise investors not to fall for fake claims made through fake websites and invest only in them using “the official link”. Both Governments took to social media to raise a flag and caution people. “There is no such official platform called Quantum AI,” a top Government official said.

With the potential to go viral in Telugu-speaking areas and dupe gullible people, both Governments have cautioned the people, flagging the videos as deepfakes.

In one video, senior journalist Rajdeep Sardesai was seen quizzing Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy about a financial scheme that “guarantees a return of ₹2 lakh just in a month”.

“I made ₹2 lakhs last month using your platform, Quantum AI. Is it possible that some people might not be able to earn with this platform?” Sardesai was seen asking the Chief Minister in the fake video.

Though the fraudsters could correctly capture Revanth Reddy visually, a discerning viewer can easily spot the accent in the fake video, which doesn’t match Reddy’s.

To make the video look more authentic, the deepfake talked about the rampant fake claims that make false claims, luring people to click the ‘official’ link.

Lokesh Nara, AP’s IT Minister and the son of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, tweeted a Fact-checker on his wall, flagging the deepfake of his father.

“Shocked to see a fake, AI-generated video featuring a senior journalist and the Chief Minister, falsely promoting a scam offering massive investment returns,” he said.

“This is a complete fraud. Criminals misusing deepfake tech to deceive the public will not be spared. The government will take stern action against such cyber offenders. Don’t fall for such scams. Stay alert. Report immediately,” he said in the post on ‘X’.

“These are investment scams using fake celebrity endorsements. Don’t believe viral videos promoting guaranteed profits. Never share personal or banking information on such websites. Use official government websites to verify financial schemes,” the Telangana Government said in an advisory.

Published on July 18, 2025