Pune Nurse Loses ₹4.09 Lakh to Deepfake Ratan Tata Scam

A 38-year-old nurse from Ambegaon in Pune was allegedly cheated of ₹4.09 lakh in an online investment fraud. The scam began when she came across a deepfake video of late industrialist Ratan Tata on Instagram in October 2024.

The video falsely depicted Ratan Tata discussing investment opportunities in the share market. Believing the video to be genuine, she clicked on an advertisement linked to it and shared her personal details.

Soon after, she received a call from a man who introduced himself as Manumohan. He told her about an investment opportunity in a company called World Tradex and promised her high returns.

The woman then began transferring money to bank accounts provided by the callers. Between October 9, 2024, and June 13, 2025, she made 11 online transactions and transferred a total of ₹4,09,100.

The fraudsters also gave her a link to an online investment portal. When she logged in, the portal showed large profits against the amount she had invested. This made her believe that her money was growing and that the investment was genuine.

However, when the woman later tried to withdraw the money, she was allegedly asked to deposit more funds. She then realised that she had been cheated.

The woman approached the Pune Cyber Police and filed a complaint on March 4, 2026. Following an inquiry and verification of the complaint, police registered an FIR against the unidentified accused.

The case has been registered under Sections 318(4) and 319(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 66D of the Information Technology Act.

Police are now investigating the transactions and attempting to identify the persons behind the alleged fraud. The use of deepfake technology in this scam highlights the growing concern of online fraud and the need for individuals to be cautious when investing online.

This incident serves as a reminder for people to verify the authenticity of investment opportunities and to be aware of the risks associated with online transactions.

The Pune Cyber Police are taking steps to prevent such scams and to educate the public about the dangers of online fraud.

In recent years, there has been a rise in online investment scams, and it is essential for individuals to be vigilant and to report any suspicious activity to the authorities.

The investigation into this case is ongoing, and the police are working to bring the perpetrators to justice.

The incident has also raised concerns about the use of deepfake technology in online scams, and the need for social media platforms to take steps to prevent the spread of such content.

As the investigation continues, the police are urging people to be cautious when investing online and to report any suspicious activity to the authorities.

The case is a reminder of the importance of being aware of the risks associated with online transactions and the need to verify the authenticity of investment opportunities.

It also highlights the need for social media platforms to take steps to prevent the spread of deepfake content and to educate users about the dangers of online scams.