Mangaluru: 57-year-old woman loses Rs 13.38 lakh in online fraud
Mangaluru: A 57-year-old woman from Mangaluru became the latest victim of an online fraud, losing Rs 13.38 lakh to a group of fraudsters posing as a London-based woman and her associates.
The complainant reported that in February, while watching reels on Facebook, she received a message from a woman named Lillian Mary George, who introduced herself as being from London, Deccan Herald reported on Wednesday.
The two began chatting, and over time, the woman built a rapport with the victim. On November 15, the complainant received a call from a woman named Sonali Gupta, who claimed that Lillian had just arrived at Mumbai International Airport. Gupta informed the victim that Lillian was carrying £25,000 in traveller’s cheques and 1 kg of gold, worth approximately Rs 30 lakh.
Lillian reportedly told the complainant that the money would be handed over shortly. However, citing various reasons, such as issues with currency exchange registration, customs declaration, money laundering charges, and other excuses, the fraudsters provided several different bank account numbers and urged the complainant to transfer money for various payments.
Falling into their trap, the complainant transferred a total of Rs 13.38 lakh in multiple installments. When she failed to receive the promised funds, she contacted the fraudsters, who assured her that the money would be refunded within two days. However, the promised refund never materialised.
A case has been registered at Mangaluru East Police Station, and authorities are investigating the matter further.
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Bill to regulate deepfakes tabled in Lok Sabha
New Delhi (PTI): A Private Member's Bill seeking a clear legal framework for regulation of deepfakes has been introduced in the Lok Sabha.
The Regulation of Deepfake Bill, introduced by Shiv Sena leader Shrikant Shinde in the House on Friday, aims to protect citizens by mandating prior consent from individuals depicted in deepfake content.
"Misuse of deepfakes for harassment, deception and misinformation has escalated, creating an urgent need for regulatory safeguards," Shinde said.
The Bill also lists penalties for offenders creating or disseminating deepfake content with malicious intent.
"With advancements in artificial intelligence and deep learning, deepfake technology has emerged as a significant tool for media manipulation. While the technology has potential applications in education, entertainment and creative fields, it also poses severe risks when misused, threatening individual privacy, national security and public trust," Shinde said in the statement of objects and reasons in the Bill.
The proposed Bill seeks to establish a clear legal framework to govern the creation, distribution and application of deepfakes in India, said Shinde, a three-term Lok Sabha member from Kalyan.
The Bill also seeks to establish the Deepfake Task Force, a dedicated body to combat national security implications and evaluate the influence of deepfakes on privacy, civic participation, and potential election interference.
The task force will collaborate with academic and private sector institutions to develop technologies that detect manipulated content, thereby promoting credibility in digital media.
The Bill also proposes to establish a fund to support public and private sector initiatives in the detection and deterrence of advanced image manipulation.
A Private Member's Bill is a procedure of Parliament that enables lawmakers, who are not ministers, to draw attention to issues that might not be represented in Government Bills or to highlight the issues and gaps in the existing legal framework that require legislative intervention.
