PM Modi, FM Sitharaman asking you to invest ₹21,000 in private scheme? PIB busts fake videos, says they are AI-generated

The fact check wing of the Press Information Bureau (PIB) has warned about a wave of videos that surfaced recently of leaders like Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman offering investment ideas.

In recent times, several videos featuring PM Modi, FM Sitharaman and former RBI governor Shaktikanta Das have been surfacing online, claiming that if someone invests ₹21,000 in a specific scheme, their money will turn into ₹25 lakh in no time.

The PIB Fact Check, in a post on Friday, clarified that these videos are generated by AI.

PM Modi's investment advice: What did PIB Fact Check say?

In its post on X, PIB Fact Check said there have been videos circulating on social media where senior leaders appear to give investment advice.

“Have you also come across videos on social media where the Prime Minister, Union Finance Minister, or the RBI Governor appears to give investment advice?” it asked.

In these clips, famous personalities seem to be promoting “guaranteed profits”, PIB said.

“Before you invest your money, understand the truth behind such promotional content,” the government agency warned.

According to PIB, these videos falsely portray PM Modi, FM Sitharaman and former RBI governor Shaktikanta Das endorsing private platforms and promoting guaranteed profits, including claims that investors' money will be multiplied.

Watch the video here:

The video shows an expert explaining how the “investment advice” clips use AI tools to make the promotions appear real and authentic.

“The person's real voice is copied and then used to deliver a fake message. Their lip movements are digitally matched with the new audio so that it looks natural. This is done to mislead people into believing that well-known leaders are promoting investment schemes,” the video explains.

The video reiterates that all these clips have been digitally altered.

PIB Fact Check also advised investors to refrain from clicking on links or sharing them to avoid scams.

The explainer further notes that the scammers portray the amount they seek as an initial investment rather than a fee to build their credibility and mislead investors.

PIB has also urged Indians to avoid sharing such unverified content and notify the agency about suspicious links and videos circulating on the internet.

The scam videos and PIB's clarification come at a time when more and more Indians are opening up towards investments through various online tools. However, this has also given rise to scammers utilising the opportunity and fooling unsuspecting investors.