Govt Warns Citizens Against Fake Investment Scheme Linked to Finance Minister

Scammers are increasingly exploiting AI technology to create fake videos of senior Indian leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, to trick people into fraudulent investment schemes.
A viral video on Facebook claiming that Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is promoting an investment scheme that promises returns of up to Rs 10 lakh per month has been flagged as fake by the government.

The Press Information Bureau’s (PIB) fact-checking unit clarified that the video is digitally manipulated and that neither the finance minister nor the Government of India has launched or endorsed any such programme.

The false video suggests that by investing Rs 22,000, individuals could allegedly earn as much as Rs 60,000 a day or Rs 10 lakh per month. Officials have categorically dismissed these claims, calling them a scam designed to mislead citizens.
“No such programme has been introduced or backed by the Finance Ministry. Citizens are urged to remain cautious and not fall prey to such fraudulent schemes,” the PIB Fact Check team stated.

The government has also advised people to verify any extraordinary claims before sharing or investing, and to rely only on official sources for financial announcements.

Also Read: Earn Rs 1.25 Lakh Daily Or Turn Rs 21,000 Into Rs 15 Lakh? Know Truth Behind Viral Videos Of PM Modi & FM Sitharaman | Republic World

This warning comes amid a surge in online scams where fraudsters use deepfake or altered videos featuring senior ministers and business leaders to lure unsuspecting investors with promises of “unrealistic returns.”
In another widely circulated clip, PM Modi appears to promote a platform that falsely promises earnings of Rs 1.25 lakh a day for an initial investment of just Rs 21,000. Another manipulated video shows Finance Minister Sitharaman supposedly endorsing a venture alongside former Infosys CEO N.R. Narayana Murthy, claiming that the same amount could generate returns of up to Rs 15 lakh a month.

The government’s fact-checking unit, PIB Fact Check, has categorically dismissed these videos as digitally altered and fake. It stressed that neither the Prime Minister nor the finance minister has launched or backed any such investment scheme.

Officials have warned citizens not to believe or share such misleading content, noting that deepfake-driven scams are fast becoming a tool for online fraudsters. This trend coincides with a sharp spike in cybercrime across the country.
Rise in Cyber Frauds