AI-Generated Deepfake Video Showed Finance Minister Endorsing Investment Scheme
A deepfake video circulated online purporting to show Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman endorsing a high-return investment scheme. The government's PIB Fact Check confirmed the video was AI-generated and warned the public against the misinformation.
What happened
A viral video circulated on social media purporting to show Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman endorsing an investment scheme promising Rs 5.5 lakh returns on an initial investment of Rs 22,000 within a week.
PIB Fact Check debunked the video on April 16, 2026, confirming it was fake and generated using artificial intelligence.
Reported impact
PIB Fact Check warned citizens against falling for the misinformation and urged people to remain cautious of misleading content circulating online.
Governance controls
PIB Fact Check clarified that neither the Government of India nor the Finance Minister was promoting or endorsing any such investment scheme.
The fact-checking unit advised citizens to verify such claims through official government sources before taking any financial decisions and appealed to users to report and flag suspicious content.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.