A sophisticated cyber fraud case has emerged in Ahmedabad, where police arrested four individuals accused of using advanced artificial intelligence tools to impersonate a businessman and carry out financial fraud. The operation, uncovered by the Ahmedabad Police Cyber Crime Branch, involved the use of deepfake technology and manipulation of identity verification systems to obtain a loan without triggering standard security alerts such as OTP notifications.
The case came to light when the businessman, who is engaged in import-export activities, noticed that he had not been receiving OTP messages from his bank for two consecutive days. Sensing irregularities in his banking activity, he approached the authorities to report the issue. This unusual absence of OTP alerts became the starting point for a deeper investigation that eventually exposed a complex digital fraud scheme.
During the probe, investigators discovered that the mobile number linked to the victim’s Aadhaar profile had been changed without the usual OTP-based verification process. Further examination revealed that his biometric credentials had also been tampered with, allowing the perpetrators to bypass identity authentication systems. This manipulation enabled the accused to gain unauthorized control over his financial identity.
Police also found that the fraudsters had opened a bank account in the businessman’s name and successfully secured a loan of Rs 25,000. Additionally, they accessed his DigiLocker account, likely to retrieve sensitive personal documents required for verification and further fraudulent activities. The attackers attempted to extend their operation by initiating account openings across multiple banks using the victim’s Aadhaar details through e-KYC processes.
According to officials, the group relied heavily on Google Gemini to generate deepfake video content of the victim. These AI-generated visuals were then used to deceive Aadhaar-based biometric systems, allowing them to authenticate identity changes and redirect OTP messages to phone numbers under their control. This level of technological misuse highlighted a new dimension of cybercrime, where artificial intelligence is being leveraged to bypass even advanced security layers.
The fraudsters reportedly succeeded in opening an account with Jio Payments Bank, through which they processed the loan transaction. A key element of the operation involved insider misuse, as one of the accused worked at a Common Service Centre (CSC) and allegedly exploited his access to Aadhaar-related systems and official equipment to facilitate the unauthorized mobile number change.
Authorities expressed concern over the high level of sophistication involved in the fraud, noting that such methods indicate evolving threats in the digital financial ecosystem. The accused individuals—Kanubhai Parmar, Ashish Vanand, Mohammad Kaif Patel, and Deep Gupta—have been taken into custody, and further investigation is underway to determine the full extent of their activities and whether more victims are involved.
The incident has also gained significance in light of recent discussions led by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who chaired a high-level meeting with banking officials to address emerging cybersecurity risks associated with rapidly advancing AI technologies. Concerns were raised about systems such as Claude Mythos, which have drawn attention due to reports of unauthorized access and potential misuse. The Ahmedabad case underscores these concerns, demonstrating how AI-driven tools can be exploited to compromise identity verification systems and financial security frameworks.
