Actor Sonu Sood, who has been hailed as a messiah for his humanitarian work during the pandemic, recently exposed a disturbing deepfake scam that involved an impersonator using his face and voice to dupe needy families for money. The actor shared the shocking video on his social media platforms and urged his fans to be vigilant against such cybercrimes.
In the video, which was sent to him by a follower, a fraudster can be seen using the deepfake technology to mimic Sonu Sood’s appearance and speech. The impersonator then contacted a family that was seeking financial help for medical treatment and assured them of Sonu Sood’s support. The family, unaware of the deception, thanked the fake Sonu Sood and expressed their gratitude.
Sonu Sood, who was appalled by the incident, posted the video on his X (formerly Twitter) account and wrote, “My film FATEH is inspired by real-life incidents involving deep Fake and fake loan apps. This is the latest incident where someone tried to extract money from an unsuspecting family, by chatting with them through video call pretending to be Sonu Sood. Many innocent individuals fall into this trap. I request all of you to be vigilant if you receive such calls. #fateh.”
My film FATEH is inspired by real life incidents involving Deep Fake and fake loan apps.
— sonu sood (@SonuSood) January 18, 2024
This is the latest incident where someone tried to extract money from an unsuspecting family, by chatting with them through video call pretending to be Sonu sood.
Many innocent individuals… pic.twitter.com/cXNBsa4nvC
The actor also shared the video on his Instagram account and captioned it, “Please be aware of such fraudsters. This is not me. This is a deepfake video. I am working with the cyber cell to track these people down. Please do not trust anyone who asks for money in my name. Stay safe.”
The video received a lot of reactions from Sonu Sood’s fans and followers, who praised him for his alertness and honesty. Many of them also shared their excitement for his upcoming film FATEH, which is based on real-life incidents involving deepfake videos and fraudulent loan applications. The film, which is produced by Zee Studios and Shakti Sagar Productions, stars Sonu Sood and Jacqueline Fernandez in lead roles. It is expected to release later this year.
The incident highlights the growing menace of deepfake technology, which can be used to create realistic but fake videos of anyone, especially celebrities and public figures. The technology can be used for malicious purposes, such as spreading misinformation, blackmailing, impersonating, and scamming. Therefore, it is important to be aware and cautious of such digital scams and verify the source and authenticity of any video or audio content before trusting it.
Sonu Sood, who has been actively helping people in need during the Covid-19 crisis, has also been a victim of other online frauds in the past. He has repeatedly warned his fans of fake websites and social media accounts that claim to be associated with him or his foundation. He has also urged people to report any such fraudulent activities to the authorities.
The actor, who is known for his roles in films like Dabangg, Happy New Year, and Aagadu, has also been working on several projects in the film industry. Apart from FATEH, he will also be seen in Prithviraj, a historical drama starring Akshay Kumar and Manushi Chhillar, and Kisaan, a film based on the farmers’ protest, directed by E Niwas. He is also set to make his debut in the Telugu web series 11th Hour, which will stream on Aha.
