A 19-yr-old Faridabad student allegedly blackmailed with AI-morphed images of his sisters and forced to pay ₹20,000; police investigate phone hack and deepfake extortion.
AI Deepfakes Blackmail Triggers Tragedy in Faridabad
A 19-year-old B.Com student from Baselwa Colony in Old Faridabad took his life after being targeted in a calculated blackmail scheme that used AI-morphed images and videos of his sisters, police said. The harassment began about ten days earlier, when two unidentified suspects allegedly hacked the teenager’s phone, produced deepfake material and repeatedly threatened to circulate the visuals unless a ransom of ₹20,000 was paid. The teen consumed poison on Saturday evening and later died despite being rushed to hospital.
Investigators at the NIT police station said the accused contacted the victim through a messaging app and used the stolen access to create and share morphed pictures. The messages intensified over days, leaving the student distressed and socially withdrawn, family members told police. Authorities have registered a case under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and are analysing the victim’s phone, chat history and social media accounts to trace how the perpetrators gained entry and crafted the deepfakes.
The incident highlights growing risks from deepfake blackmail, phone hacking and online extortion — tactics that prey on victims’ privacy and reputation. Cybersecurity experts say attackers increasingly combine account compromise with synthetic media to coerce money or compliance, making timely reporting and digital forensics critical for prevention and response. Victims often delay seeking help out of shame, allowing abuse to escalate; this case underlines the need for awareness, swift police action and mental-health support for targeted individuals and families.
