elder couple scammed by fake court vidio call

An 81-year-old couple from Chennai fell victim to a horrifying deepfake scam, where they were digitally “arrested” and coerced into transferring ₹2.27 crore to fraudsters impersonating government officials. For nearly six weeks, the couple endured psychological manipulation, trapped in a terrifying simulation of a fake virtual court, utilizing advanced voice, language, and video technologies.

A New Digital Menace: Deepfakes Mimicking Justice
This alarming incident highlights a disturbing trend in cybercrime, where criminals employ deepfake tactics and impersonation to ensnare victims in fabricated legal proceedings. For over 45 days, the elderly couple was psychologically manipulated and isolated while fraudsters, posing as TRAI officials and CBI agents, forced them to transfer their life savings.

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The ordeal began on March 15 when the man received a phone call from someone claiming to be a Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) officer. The caller warned him that an illegal bank account had been opened in his name using his Aadhaar credentials, allegedly linked to national security issues. When the elderly man struggled with Hindi, the fraudsters seamlessly switched to Tamil, making their deception even more convincing.

From Threats to Courtroom Drama: A Manipulated Reality
After gaining the couple's trust, the fraudsters escalated their tactics, instilling fear and demanding sensitive information. They insisted that the couple was under surveillance and forbidden from speaking to anyone. The man was coerced into listing all his bank accounts and balances, leading to the first major demand: a transfer of ₹59 lakh to a “secured account” for investigation purposes.

The situation took a chilling turn when the couple was summoned to appear before a virtual court. Isolated and terrified, they were presented with a deepfake courtroom complete with a fake judge. The manipulated visuals and courtroom background added a false sense of legitimacy. The judge pronounced that the couple would be placed under digital arrest—a term invented by the fraudsters—and held in virtual CBI custody for seven days, with all communication blocked.

The scam continued until the end of April, when the emotionally shattered couple finally broke free and reported the incident.

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Digital Scammers Exploit Virtual Courts and Fear
This incident underscores a growing trend where scammers leverage high-tech tools like voice synthesis, AI-generated visuals, and multilingual impersonation to target vulnerable individuals, particularly the elderly with limited digital literacy. Despite increasing awareness campaigns, such psychological frauds often go unnoticed until irreversible damage occurs.

Cybercrime units are now investigating the source of the virtual courtroom setup, which may have been created using AI avatars, publicly available video templates, and spoofed video conferencing tools. Authorities are urging banks, telecom regulators, and internet service providers to enhance alert systems for vulnerable senior citizens to prevent such scams in the future.