What is a deepfake scam and how do you report one in India?

As of 24 October 2026: the service descriptions, prices and turnaround figures on this page are current.

What counts as a deepfake scam?

Any fraud in which synthetic or manipulated media impersonates a trusted party. Four forms appear in India. Executive impersonation, where a voice-cloned managing director or a deepfake video call pushes a finance employee into an urgent transfer, the pattern SEBI named in its caution of 17 July 2026. Government impersonation, where a deepfake video of a Union minister or the Prime Minister advertises a fake welfare scheme and asks for fees, which the cyber unit flagged in October 2026. Institution impersonation, where a synthetic caller poses as a bank, KYC or regulatory agent to extract an OTP or a UPI PIN approval. And personal impersonation, where a cloned voice of a family member or friend requests money, which is the version that reaches ordinary households.

What are the four ways to report a deepfake scam in India?

Four, and you should use more than one. First, the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal at cybercrime.gov.in, which routes the complaint to the state cybercrime unit and accepts attachments. Second, the cyber crime helpline 1930, which is staffed to take incident reports and is the fastest route when money is moving. Third, the local police station, where a First Information Report is the document that actually starts a criminal case, and for a company it is usually the document the bank will ask for. Fourth, a grievance to the platform hosting the content, which is the only route that removes the video. If a business was targeted, the fifth obligation is CERT-In, and the six-hour clock under Directions 20(3)/2022-CERT-In starts when you notice the incident, not when you finish investigating it.

What should I collect before I report?

Six items, and collecting them first is what makes a report actionable. The URL of the content and the platform, captured with a full-page screenshot showing the browser address bar and a visible date and time. The original media file, downloaded rather than screenshotted, so that it can be hashed and examined. The account or channel that published it, including the handle and profile URL. The financial details, the transaction reference, the beneficiary account and the amount. The communication trail, the call log, the SMS thread, the WhatsApp chat, exported. And your own details, your phone number, your email and your address, because the portal will need them to reach you. Take the screenshots before you delete anything, and do not forward the file to friends, because every forward is a new distribution you then have to take down.

What happens after you report a deepfake scam?

It depends on the category, and you should set the expectation before you file. If money moved, the bank can freeze or recall the beneficiary account, and under RBI's rule effective 1 January 2027 a genuine individual victim who reports to the bank and to the NCRP or helpline 1930 within 5 calendar days may be compensated at 85% of net loss or Rs 25,000, whichever is less. If content is still live, the platform grievance gets a takedown decision, and the February 2026 IT Rules amendments set three hours for flagged unlawful content and two hours for non-consensual intimate imagery. If an organisation was targeted, CERT-In's acknowledgement and guidance arrive on the six-hour reporting track. And if a criminal case is warranted, the FIR gives you a case number, which is what the takedown notices and any civil action will need to cite.

What are the frequently asked questions?