11 hours agoCrime
49LENS
4 SourcesAssam, India
thebalanced.newsInterstate Cyber Fraud Gang Uses AI Deepfakes and Mule Accounts to Commit Financial Crimes
Authorities have dismantled an interstate cyber fraud gang using AI-generated deepfake videos to hijack Aadhaar-linked identities and secure loans fraudulently. The gang exploited personal data from GST, PAN, and social media, bypassing biometric and OTP security. Separately, researchers exposed a dark web marketplace leaking 345,000 credit card records due to insecure AI-generated code. Additionally, investigations revealed widespread use of mule bank accounts to launder stolen funds across multiple Indian cities, complicating fraud detection efforts.
Political Bias
5%93%2%
Sentiment
31%
AI Analysis
Political bias across 4 sources
● Left 5%● Center 93%● Right 2%
The article group presents a largely technical and law enforcement-focused perspective, emphasizing cybercrime investigations and technological methods used by criminals. Sources highlight government police actions and cybersecurity research without political commentary or partisan framing. The coverage includes official arrests and expert findings, maintaining a neutral stance on policy or political implications.
Sentiment — Negative (31/100)
The overall tone is cautionary and factual, focusing on the sophistication and scale of cyber fraud enabled by AI technologies. While the reports detail criminal activities and security vulnerabilities, the sentiment remains neutral, aiming to inform readers about emerging threats and law enforcement responses without sensationalism or alarmism.
How 4 sources covered this story
Each source's own headline, political lean, and sentiment — so you can see framing differences at a glance.
| Source | Their headline | Bias | Sentiment |
|---|---|---|---|
| indiatoday | How AI scammers used social media photos to hijack Aadhaar identities, steal loans | Center | Negative |
| ndtv | Your Bank Account Can Be Used For Fraud Without You Knowing. Here's How | Center | Negative |
| firstpost | Dark web scammers leak 345,000 credit card records through vibe coding | Center | Neutral |
| ndtv | Interstate Gang Used Deepfakes To Commit Aadhaar Loan Fraud, Busted | Center | Negative |
Coverage timeline
ndtv broke this story on 7 May, 06:37 pm. Other outlets followed.
- 1ndtv7 May, 06:37 pmInterstate Gang Used Deepfakes To Commit Aadhaar Loan Fraud, Busted
- 2firstpost8 May, 07:38 amDark web scammers leak 345,000 credit card records through vibe coding
- 3ndtv8 May, 11:00 amYour Bank Account Can Be Used For Fraud Without You Knowing. Here's How
- 4indiatoday8 May, 02:26 pmHow AI scammers used social media photos to hijack Aadhaar identities, steal loans
Lens Score breakdown
49/100
Public interest24/100
Coverage gap90%
Story is receiving appropriate media attention relative to public interest.
Accountability flags
TBN's analysis identified the following accountability dimensions in this story.
- financial irregularity
This story involves alleged financial misconduct — unexplained transactions, procurement irregularities, or misuse of public/shareholder funds.
- systemic failure
This story points to a failure in institutional processes — regulation, safety, oversight, or service delivery breaking down at scale.
Who's involved
Institutions and figures named across source coverage.
Government
Ahmedabad City Cyber Crime BranchCSC CentresAadhaar DepartmentReserve Bank of IndiaAhmedabad Cyber Crime Branch
Corporate
Axis BankJio Payments BankIDFC BankAnysphereCity Union BankKotak Mahindra BankYes BankIndusInd BankICICI Bank
Enforcement
Delhi PolicePoliceAhmedabad City Cyber Crime BranchAhmedabad Cyber Crime BranchCyberabad Police
Judiciary
Supreme Court of India
Story context
- Category
- Crime
- Location
- Assam, India
- Sources analysed
- 4
- Last analysed
- 8 May 2026
- Key entities
- CybercrimeArtificial intelligenceIndiaDeepfakeRacketeeringIndian rupeeAssamPersonal dataAadhaarBiometricsLoanAhmedabad
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