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Bureau of AI
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IncidentPeople used AI as a toolSeverity M: moderate, 3/5Reported: press reporting only

Suspected AI voice-cloning scam impersonating a friend cheated a Bhopal security guard of about Rs 35,000

A security guard in Bhopal's TT Nagar area received a call on Sep 30 from a fraudster who mimicked his friend's voice, in what was described as a suspected case of AI-enabled cyber fraud. Convinced by the familiar voice, he made several transfers through a QR code and lost nearly Rs 35,000. He found out about the fraud when he called his friend on his actual number and learned the friend had never called. TT Nagar police registered a case and launched an investigation.

What the AI did

A fraudster is suspected of using AI to copy the voice of the victim's friend on a phone call, so the request for money sounded like it came from the friend. It has not been confirmed that AI was used, and it has not been reported which AI tool, if any, was involved.

First reported October 4, 2026 · Added to the register October 8, 2026 · 1 source

Amount lost
Nearly Rs 35,000
Affected
Niket Malviya, security guard
When it happened
September 30, 2026
First reported
October 4, 2026

What this means for you

Could this affect you?

Possibly, if your staff or family members act on urgent money requests made by phone

Anyone who gets an urgent phone request for money from a voice that sounds like a friend or relative could be targeted the same way, especially when payment is asked for through a QR code.

What to check

  • Call the person back on a number you already know before paying any urgent money request.
  • Train staff not to treat a familiar-sounding voice as proof of who is calling.
  • Warn families and colleagues that voices can be copied to ask for money.
  • Treat requests to pay by QR code during an unexpected call as a warning sign.

Areas of your AI programme this touches

Deepfakes and impersonationFraud and payment controls

Timeline

  1. September 30, 2026Happened
  2. October 4, 2026First reported
Every fact and its source (4)
  1. Date of first fraudulent callSep 30
    “received a call from an unidentified person on Sep 30”[1]
  2. Payment channelMoney transferred via QR code
    “He also sent a QR code for the money transfer.”[1]
  3. MethodFraudster mimicked the victim's friend's voice
    “a cybercriminal impersonated his friend by mimicking his voice”[1]
  4. Police responseTT Nagar police registered a case and opened an investigation
    “TT Nagar police have registered a case and launched an investigation”[1]

Sources

  1. Bhopal Cyber Fraud: AI Voice Cloning Scam Dupes Security Guard Of ₹35,000
    freepressjournal.in · October 4, 2026

How this record is classified. Severity M (3/5): harm to individuals, or a policy breach with limited reach. OECD level: incident, an event in which an AI system led to actual harm. Evidence: Reported, meaning press reporting only.

The facts in At a glance and in Every fact and its source are quoted from the sources listed. The summary, What the AI did and What this means for you are written from those sources and checked against them automatically before publication. Records reflect what has been disclosed, not everything that has happened. Incidents are found through news feeds and the GDELT Project.

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