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Chandigarh: Rajya Sabha MP, author and philanthropist Sudha Murty on Wednesday issued a strong public warning against fake videos circulating on social media platforms that misuse her image and voice to promote fraudulent financial schemes, describing them as “deepfakes” created without her consent.

Murty’s warning comes amid a growing wave of AI-generated fake videos falsely featuring prominent public figures — including Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, industrialist Mukesh Ambani and Infosys founder N R Narayana Murthy — to lure people into dubious “get-rich-quick” investment schemes.

Several such videos circulating online claim that a one-time investment of ₹20,000–₹21,000 or USD 200 can allegedly turn an investor into a “millionaire”, a promise that cybersecurity experts have flagged as a classic financial scam tactic.

“I want to alert you to fake videos circulating online that falsely use my image and voice to promote financial schemes and investments. These are deepfakes created without my knowledge or consent,” Murty said in a post on X, sharing a video message to caution the public.

“Please do not make any financial decisions based on these fraudulent videos. I urge you to verify information through official channels and report any such content you encounter. Stay vigilant and stay safe. Jai Hind!” she wrote.

In her video message, Murty — who is also the Chairperson of the Murty Trust — said she was deeply disturbed by the misuse of her identity. “As a rule, I never talk about investments or doing anything with money,” she said, stressing that her public work has always focused on education, culture, women’s issues and social development.

“I’m really concerned and pained to tell everyone that when you look at Facebook, there are two or three videos of mine circulating simultaneously where I am supposedly talking about investing USD 200 or ₹20,000 and getting many times more in return. Such fake news is going on,” she said.

Murty revealed that several people known to her had already lost money after believing these fake videos. “It is fake news. You will lose your money,” she warned, urging people not to trust financial messages or investment pitches appearing on social media platforms such as Facebook. “If you have any doubts, send an email, ask a bank, or verify properly before investing. Think over it, and then invest,” she said.

Appealing directly to the public, Murty said, “With folded hands, I request all viewers — any financial transaction in my name, don’t believe it. It’s fake news. Don’t lose your hard-earned money out of greed. Save your money and invest wisely. If needed, approach a bank or the police.”

Cybercrime officials have noted a sharp rise in deepfake-based financial fraud, with scammers increasingly using AI-generated videos of well-known leaders, business icons and public figures to create a false sense of credibility and urgency. Authorities have repeatedly advised citizens to treat guaranteed high-return investment claims with suspicion and to rely only on verified institutional channels for financial decisions.