Stay safe › Scams
Deepfake celebrity investment ads
A famous face "recommends" a stock tip or trading app with guaranteed returns. The video is fake.
How it works
A video appears in your feed: a well-known business leader, actor or cricketer talking about a “secret” stock, a trading app or a scheme that doubles your money. It looks and sounds real. The link takes you to a group or app run by scammers, who show fake profits until you invest more, then disappear.
A real warning
In April 2024 the National Stock Exchange (NSE) warned investors about deepfake videos of its MD and CEO, Ashishkumar Chauhan, appearing to recommend stocks. NSE said its employees are not authorised to recommend stocks, and that its official messages come only through its website and verified accounts.
If it has already happened
- Don't click, and don't pay anyone.
- Check the person's or company's official website and verified accounts for any such offer.
- If you paid, call 1930 and report at cybercrime.gov.in. Report the ad on the platform.
Protect yourself
- No genuine investment guarantees high returns.
- Check that any adviser or broker is registered with SEBI before you pay.
- Treat any video that pushes money decisions as unverified until you've checked the source.
Say it simply
Share this with parents and grandparents: celebrities don't give personal stock tips in ads.
If a famous person in a video tells you where to put your money, assume it's fake. Ask family first.
Where to report
- Cybercrime helpline 1930Money has been taken or a payment was tricked out of you. Call at once: the sooner, the better the chance of freezing it.Call 1930
- National Cyber Crime Reporting PortalFile a complaint about any cyber fraud, harassment, sextortion or morphed images.cybercrime.gov.in
- The app or platformReport and block the account on WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube or wherever it happened, so it can be taken down.Report in the app
- SEBI registration checkCheck whether an investment adviser or broker is really registered before you pay anyone.sebi.gov.in
Learn more
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