Sitharaman's video fake, created with AI, clarifies PIB; warns against fraudulent investment scheme claims — Details

The Press Information Bureau's Fact Check unit on 7 May clarified that the video circulating online of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman purportedly endorsing an investment platform is fake.

In a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), the official PIB Fact Check account alerted followers about online investment scams, the link for which is being circulated on messaging app WhatsApp.

PIB warns about online investment scams

“Beware of Online Investment Scams! A link circulating on WhatsApp directs users to a video falsely portraying Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman endorsing an investment platform. The video claims that an investment of ₹21,000 can generate returns of up to ₹30 lakh," it cautioned.

Further, the division stated that the video is fake and was created using artificial intelligence (AI). “Neither the Finance Minister nor the Government of India has endorsed, authorised, or promoted any such investment scheme or platform,” it said.

Verify claims — check details to report incidents

PIB further cautioned that fraudsters often use fabricated videos and false promises of unusually high returns to deceive people online. “Always verify such claims through official government sources before investing or sharing personal and financial information,” it added.

“Stay alert. Think before you click. Help STOP misinformation and online fraud. If you encounter suspicious or manipulated content, report it immediately,” the post added. You can report at the below number and email with the link, screenshot, or video along with a brief explanation:

• WhatsApp: +91 8799711259
• Email: factcheck@pib.gov.in

WATCH: PIB fact check — Fake AI video created of FM Sitharaman

This is not the first time PIB has refuted AI-generated videos of Sitharaman, which claimed that an initial deposit of ₹22,000 can generate a guaranteed income of ₹30 lakh per month.

Owaisi complains over deepfake AI promotion for scam

Notably, last year AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi had filed a complaint with the Hyderabad police in connection with a deepfake video of him promoting investment scam which promised ₹53,000 daily returns and was circulating online. “The video was created and uploaded along with malicious content to lure innocent people and to make false propaganda in my name,” Owaisi said in his complaint.

The Hyderabad police registered a case on 5 June last year and said that the video was made to mislead the public into believing that he was promoting an investment scam. They added that the deepfake video also comes with AI-generated clips of Sitharaman, billionaire industrialist Mukesh Ambani of Reliance Industries and Infosys' billionaire founder Narayana Murthy.

Here's how you can file a complaint

• File a complaint on the National Cyber Crime Portal on their website here — cybercrime.gov.in. Choose categories like “online fraud” or “other cyber offences” and include evidence (screenshots, URLs, etc.).
• Inform the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) by reporting harmful online content through their grievance channels or via social media.
• Report directly on the platform using “Report” option on apps like WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube to flag misinformation.

Leads for filing a complaint:

• Include clear evidence (links, images, timestamps).
• Avoid forwarding the fake content further unless necessary for reporting.
• Mention why you believe the content is false or misleading.

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