FakeOut Blog
Expert guides on detecting AI-generated images, identifying deepfakes, and fact-checking misinformation.
Fake LPG gas KYC and subsidy update messages on WhatsApp, SMS, and Telegram push panic links and app downloads to steal money and phone access. Here are 7 checks before you tap or pay.
Fake electricity bill disconnection messages on WhatsApp, SMS, and Telegram push panic links and late-night threats to steal money and phone access. Here are 7 checks before you tap or pay.
Scammers now clone a relative's voice from a few seconds of audio to fake an emergency and demand instant money. Here are 7 checks before you believe a panicked call or transfer funds.
Fake traffic e-challan messages on WhatsApp, SMS, and Telegram push panic links and fake fines to steal money and bank access. Here are 7 checks before you tap or pay.
Fake instant loan approval messages on WhatsApp, SMS, and Telegram can steal your documents, face scan, OTPs, and money. Here are 7 checks before you apply or pay a fee.
Fake flood relief, medical help, temple fund, and emergency donation messages spread fast on WhatsApp and Telegram. Here are 7 checks before you scan, pay, or forward.
Fake health insurance claim messages on WhatsApp, Telegram, and SMS can steal IDs, medical records, OTPs, and money. Here are 7 checks before you upload documents or pay a fee.
Fake eKYC video calls on WhatsApp, Telegram, and SMS can steal your ID, face, OTP, and bank access. Here are 7 checks before you show Aadhaar, PAN, passport, or payment details.
Fake loan app recovery threats use WhatsApp messages, edited screenshots, contact leaks, and fear to force payments. Here are 7 checks before you send money or panic.
Fake festival sale coupons, cashback links, and gift-card messages spread fast on WhatsApp and Telegram. Here are 7 checks before you tap, pay, or forward.
Fake SIM upgrade, eSIM activation, and KYC messages on WhatsApp and SMS can hand your mobile number to scammers. Here are 7 checks before you tap, call, or share an OTP.
Fake courier tracking links on WhatsApp, SMS, and Telegram are stealing money through missed delivery, customs, address update, and small-fee traps. Here are 7 checks before you tap.
Fake school fee, exam form, hostel, and coaching payment messages are reaching parents on WhatsApp and SMS. Here are 6 checks before you send money or share an OTP.
Fake payment links on WhatsApp, Telegram, and SMS are stealing money through urgent refund, courier, bill, and KYC messages. Here are 7 checks before you tap any link.
Fake QR codes at shops, parking meters, and on WhatsApp are redirecting UPI payments to scammers across India. Here are 6 checks before you scan any QR code with your phone.
Fake job offers promising easy work-from-home income on WhatsApp and Telegram are draining lakhs from Indians every day. Here are 6 signs to spot the scam before you send a single rupee.
Fake electricity bill disconnection alerts on WhatsApp and SMS are draining bank accounts across India. Here are 6 practical signs to spot this scam before your money is gone.
Pretend CBI, customs, or police officers on WhatsApp are putting Indians under "digital arrest" to drain their life savings. Here are 6 practical signs to spot this scam.
Fake wedding invitation APK files on WhatsApp are draining bank accounts across India. Here are 6 practical checks before you open, download, or forward a wedding invite.
Fake news screenshots and AI-generated headlines spread faster than real journalism on WhatsApp. Here are 6 practical checks to verify a screenshot before you forward it.
Fake tax, FASTag, wallet, and delivery refund messages are pushing Indians to phishing links and payment traps. Here are 7 checks before you tap, scan, or share an OTP.
People lose lakhs to fake helpline numbers that look perfectly real in Google search results. Here is how the fake-support scam runs, why it keeps working in 2026, and what to do before you dial.
A polite WhatsApp ping about easy online work. A Telegram group. A small payout. Then a deposit you never see again. Here is how task-based job scams actually work and how to spot one before you lose money.
AI-generated videos of real Indian public figures are being used to push fake investment schemes on WhatsApp. Here is how the scam works and the checks you need before you join, click, or invest.
A payment screenshot on WhatsApp is not proof. Here are 6 practical checks to catch fake UPI confirmations, suspicious links, and refund scams before you lose money.
A cloned voice note from a 'relative' can trigger panic in seconds. Here are 7 practical checks to catch AI voice scams before you pay, click, or forward.
C2PA content credentials promise to label AI-generated images. But Instagram and X strip them out. Here's what that means before the EU AI Act's August 2026 deadline.
ETH Zurich built a chip that signs images at hardware level. Pixel 10 ships C2PA by default. Here's why provenance alone can't stop deepfakes — and what fills the gap.
The rise of AI-generated robocalls, exemplified by the New Hampshire incident, poses a critical threat to electoral integrity. Learn how to detect and counter deepfake voice propaganda in elections.
An AI-generated woman in military uniform hit 1 million Instagram followers before platforms removed the account. She was never real. Here's how fake AI influencers work and how to spot them.
AI-generated deepfake videos from national campaigns are already running ahead of the 2026 US midterms. A Reuters investigation confirmed three such ads. There is no federal law to stop more.
A practical checklist for detecting deepfakes using visual cues, free tools, and content provenance standards. Runs in under two minutes on any device.
The NRSC's AI deepfake ad targeting Texas Senate candidate James Talarico signals a new era in political deception. Here's what happened, why disclosure labels fail, and how to spot synthetic political video.
YouTube expanded its AI likeness detection tool to politicians, journalists and government officials in March 2026. Here's what it does, why it matters, and what it still can't protect.
C2PA and content credentials promised to label every AI image. A new Microsoft report explains why the system is still broken — and what needs to change.
India's IT Rules 2026 force platforms to remove deepfakes within 3 hours and mandate AI content labelling. What the MeitY amendment actually says — and what it still leaves open.
A growing industry of small-town AI creators in India produces deepfake videos of dead relatives for weddings and rituals. As demand surges, India's new IT Rules force platforms to delete deepfakes within three hours.
A coalition of Adobe, Google, Microsoft, Meta, Sony, and dozens more has built C2PA: a technical standard that attaches a verifiable history to every image and video. Here is how it works and where it falls short.
The AI Incident Database's February 2026 report confirms deepfake scams are no longer niche. Here's what industrialised fraud looks like and how to protect yourself.
On February 20, India's amended IT Rules came into force, introducing mandatory AI content labels and a 3-hour takedown window. Here's what changed and what it means for creators and everyday users.
A creator who has never visited Croydon made AI-generated 'decline porn' videos that hit 8 million views in a day. Here's how this genre works, and how to spot it.
Learn the expert techniques to identify AI-generated images, from DALL-E to Midjourney. Discover the subtle artifacts that give away synthetic images.
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