Pune’s cybercrime unit has arrested a 23-year-old e-commerce employee for allegedly using artificial intelligence to create obscene images and fake social-media profiles of people known to him, then demanding money to have the profiles removed. Police said the alleged scheme targeted friends and relatives and operated for several months, highlighting growing risks around the misuse of generative AI in everyday digital fraud.
The investigation began after a 40-year-old resident of Kondhwa approached the cyber police with a complaint. According to investigators, the complainant discovered that an obscene profile carrying manipulated images had appeared online. The accused allegedly claimed he could arrange its removal through contacts in the police and sought money for that purpose. The complainant later approached the police believing the profile had been taken down through official intervention. That interaction reportedly led investigators to uncover the alleged deception. Police subsequently found that a relative of the accused had also been targeted through a similar method. Investigators said the alleged financial demands varied between ₹15,000 and ₹52,000. The police are examining the transactions and digital evidence to establish the full extent of the alleged activity and identify whether other people were targeted.
The case also brings attention to a difficult shift in online crime. AI tools can now manipulate photographs and produce convincing synthetic material with relatively little technical expertise. When such material is combined with impersonation, threats or financial demands, victims can face both monetary loss and serious reputational harm. Police said the accused continued using an AI platform despite receiving warnings from the tool about the unlawful nature of the requested activity. The episode underlines a wider challenge for digital governance: technology safeguards can warn users, but they cannot by themselves prevent determined misuse. For citizens, the risks extend beyond financial fraud. Fake profiles and manipulated intimate images can spread quickly across social platforms, making early reporting and preservation of digital evidence important. Cybersecurity professionals advise victims not to negotiate with perpetrators or make payments without first reporting the incident to the police or the relevant platform.
The Pune case also raises questions about how workplaces, educational institutions and digital platforms can improve awareness of synthetic-media abuse. As AI-generated content becomes easier to create, prevention will increasingly depend on stronger digital literacy, faster reporting mechanisms and clearer accountability. The investigation remains focused on establishing the complete scale of the alleged fraud. For Pune’s increasingly connected urban population, the case is another reminder that digital safety is becoming as important to everyday civic life as physical security.
