How do I know if a video call is a deepfake?
Key takeaways
- A deepfaked live call defeats face recognition and Video-KYC, so liveness checks at the far end are not evidence that the person is real.
- Ask the caller to turn their head fully sideways and look down, because real heads show natural motion blur and continuous eye movement; synthetic faces fail in both.
- Out-of-band verification on a number you already had is the only control that reliably defeats a real-time deepfake, because it moves the attacker off their script.
- A deepfake call demanding money is usually followed by a second call from a 'bank' or 'police' colleague, and that second call is the pattern to watch for.
- I4C has issued a nationwide advisory on deepfake fraud defeating facial authentication, liveness and Video-KYC, so no institution should approve a payment on the basis of a video call alone.
As of 24 October 2026: the service descriptions, prices and turnaround figures on this page are current.
What does a real-time deepfake actually look like on a call?
The tells are behavioural rather than photographic. Eye blinking is irregular or absent over long stretches, and the eyes do not track an object the way a real pair does. Lip movement is slightly late, or the words and the mouth do not align exactly. Head movement produces an unnaturally sharp edge, because the synthetic face has no real motion blur. Hands behave badly, particularly fingers, which is why asking someone to raise a hand and touch their nose is a standard test. Hair and eyeglass frames are unstable at the edges. And the whole face sometimes shifts in identity as the generative model re-renders it, especially after a network glitch. Lighting is usually too even and the background too static.
What verification steps actually work?
Three tiers, and only the last one is reliable. Tier one is the behavioural test: ask the caller to turn their head fully sideways, look down, and touch their nose with a finger. Tier two is a context question that a script cannot answer, such as referring to something only the real person would know from this morning, or asking them to describe what is physically behind them. Tier three is out-of-band verification: hang up and call the person back on a number you already had, or send a code to a channel you already trust, and confirm the request separately. For money, require a second approver and a cooling-off period, which is what defeats the SEBI-flagged 'Boss Scam' pattern.
Why did the video call fool face recognition and Video-KYC?
Because those checks verify that a face is present and matches an enrolled image, not that the face is live and unmanipulated. I4C has issued a nationwide advisory on deepfake-enabled fraud defeating facial authentication, liveness detection and Video-KYC, and a criminal who has both a sample of your face and a sample of your voice can now present a convincing live call. That is why Video-KYC alone must not be the sole control for a payment, and why institutions relying on it need a second channel, a transaction cap, and a cooling-off window. The same reasoning applies to remote onboarding by banks and insurers.
What if the call is demanding money right now?
Treat it as a fraud call and hang up, but do not hang up without evidence. Note the number, the name used, the time, and any case or reference number claimed, and record the call if your phone allows it. Then call back on the official number published on the institution's own website, not the number on the call or on a search ad. If money has already moved, call your bank's fraud helpline the same day, file on cybercrime.gov.in and helpline 1930, and note that reporting within five calendar days is the condition attached to any compensation claim under RBI's June 2026 instructions effective 1 January 2027.
| What you see or hear | What it suggests | Verification to run |
|---|---|---|
| Irregular or absent blinking | Synthetic face re-rendered per frame | Ask the caller to look at a moving object and track it |
| Mouth and speech slightly out of sync | Audio and video generated separately | Ask a context question and compare timing |
| Head turn with unnaturally sharp edges | No real motion blur in the render | Ask for a full sideways head turn |
| Distorted hands or fingers | Generative model hand failure | Ask them to touch their nose with one finger |
| Call comes from an unknown number, then a second call from a 'colleague' | Pretexting and grooming before the money request | Hang up and verify on a known number |
| Video call used to approve a payment or KYC | Deepfake fraud, per the I4C advisory | Require a second approver and a cooling-off period |
What are the frequently asked questions?
Get a straight answer on this
Tell us what the call claimed and what was requested, and we will return a fixed-price deepfake-fraud readiness review for your team.
Send us the details See pricing