Karnataka: Lawyer duped by cyber fraudsters using AI-generated Trump video

A 38-year-old advocate was duped by cybercriminals who allegedly lured him into investing in a Trump Hotel rentals scheme using an AI-generated video of US President Donald Trump promising high returns, police said on Monday. The issue came to light on May 6, when the victim approached the Haveri Central Crime Police Station with his complaint, they added.

In his statement, the advocate said that in January this year, he came across a video on YouTube offering an investment opportunity in "Donald Trump Hotel Rentals."

When he clicked the link, he was directed to download a mobile application.


He was then asked to fill out a form, which included submitting his bank account details and IFSC code.

According to the police, the victim followed the instructions and paid Rs 1,500 to activate his account. He was promised a 3 per cent daily return on his investment.

Initially, he received returns and made profits on his investments.

Trusting the scheme, he invested more money when asked by the fraudsters, hoping to double his earnings.

In total, he deposited Rs 5,93,240 to various bank accounts, UPI IDs, and digital wallets between January 25 and April 4.

However, he stopped receiving returns and was unable to recover the invested amount.

A case has been registered under the IT Act and Section 318(4) (cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, police said.

During the investigation, it was found that the complainant was tricked through a 'fake' link.

Consequently, Rs 1.5 lakh in the bank account to which the money was transferred has been frozen, a senior police officer said.

Police have appealed to the public to stay alert and avoid clicking on suspicious links.

"It has come to light that crores of rupees have been swindled across the country through fake links such as the Trump Hotel Rental scheme, which falsely promises to double your money. The public is urged to reject unknown links and remain vigilant," the police release said.