Hyderabad Police Warn of AI-Driven Biometric Identity Theft Scam
Hyderabad Cybercrime Police warned of emerging AI-based biometric scams in which fraudsters capture facial and voice data from unsuspecting victims in public places and use AI to generate deepfake impersonations for fraud and identity theft. The scammers pose as elderly or middle-aged individuals seeking technical help with smartphones or applications, with accomplices capturing biometrics via enabled video calls or screen recording.
What happened
Hyderabad Cybercrime Police issued a public alert on February 23, 2026, warning of AI-based biometric scams targeting citizens' identity data. Fraudsters pose as elderly or middle-aged individuals in crowded public places such as malls, metro stations, and markets, approaching unsuspecting people requesting help with checking pension or subsidy details, fixing a mobile application, or operating a phone while claiming unfamiliarity with technology.
The phone is often already in video call or screen recording mode with permissions enabled, allowing accomplices on the other end to capture the victim's face and voice within seconds. This biometric data can then be misused to create AI-generated impersonations for fraud, social engineering, or bypassing verification systems.
Reported impact
Police warned that captured biometric data could be exploited for fraudulent activities, identity theft, and bypassing digital verification systems. The scam particularly targets citizens' identity data rather than directly stealing money.
Governance controls
Police advised people not to operate or handle mobile phones belonging to unknown persons and to avoid looking into unfamiliar video calls or following instructions from strangers in crowded places. They also urged people to educate family members, particularly elders and children, about such tactics.
Victims and those suspecting cyber fraud were advised to immediately contact the national cyber helpline at 1930 or report incidents on the Cyber Crime Portal at www.cybercrime.gov.in.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.