A shocking case of cybercrime involving AI-based photo manipulation and extortion has come to light in Karnataka's Chikkamagaluru district. Miscreants targeted a housewife from Bavikere village in Tarikere Taluk, manipulating her pictures with AI technology and demanding ₹30 lakh to share them on social media if they did not get their way.
According to the complaint filed with the police, the accused took pictures of the woman and digitally altered them using advanced image-editing tools. The manipulated images were sent to the victim’s mobile phone with threats of payment of ₹30 lakh.
The accused also told her that if she did not pay the price, the edited photographs would be posted and circulated on social media platforms, causing her damage and distress to her family.
Police sources said the victim refused to succumb to the extortion attempt. The miscreants then created a fake Instagram account and posted the manipulated photographs online. The accused allegedly posted the woman’s photo and also made offensive claims that she was available for money and was offered a rate of ₹300.
The social media posts quickly caused humiliation and emotional trauma to the victim. Family members told us the woman was very horrified when she learned about the fake posts and the circulation of the edited photographs online.
The woman, in the complaint, said the mental stress was so severe that she attempted suicide after seeing the defamatory content posted on social media sites. She was rescued, and her family approached the police seeking justice.
The victim’s husband filed a formal complaint at the Lakkavalli Police Station, saying two youths from the same village were behind the crime. In his complaint, he named Akshay and Sahul Hameed as the people involved in sending threatening messages and creating the fake social media account.
The complainant has also claimed that the accused had previously targeted another woman using similar methods and demanded money from her. Based on these allegations, the victim’s family believes the latest incident is part of a pattern of cyber harassment and extortion.
Police have received mobile numbers and other details related to the alleged suspects in the complaint, the police said. Digital evidence, including phone records, social media activity, and messages with the victim, is now being examined, they said.
AI-powered image manipulation, which many cybercriminals have called “deepfake” technology, is becoming an increasing concern in India, experts say. These can be used to create real but fake images and videos that make it hard to tell genuine from fake media.
The incident has raised concern among residents of the region, and many of them are demanding strict action against those who misuse technology to harass and blackmail women. Social activists and residents are demanding that authorities take swift action to find and arrest the accused.
A case has been registered at Lakkavalli Police Station, and police teams have started an investigation to trace and apprehend those involved. More charges under cybercrime, extortion, and harassment laws can be taken into account in the case, according to investigators.
The incident is a stark reminder of the risks posed by the misuse of artificial intelligence and social media platforms. As technology becomes more advanced, law enforcement agencies are increasingly faced with digital crimes that can have devastating real-world consequences for victims and their families.
