Increasing development in communication and technology has also given wings to some not-so-noble people as well. Fraudsters today weaponise artificial intelligence AI. They swap faces and clone voices to steal money. The swelling number of reports warns of a surge in deepfake investment scams.

A report found a digital risk firm alarmed by fake videos of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman pushing bogus crypto schemes. Scammers even hijack media brands: one plot copied the Times of India style and slapped PM Modi's photo on a fake "Go Invest" portal.

Older citizens have become prime targets. They grew up trusting TV and print, and now scammers exploit that trust online. A financial news agency reported some time back on how a 63-year-old retiree lost ?50 lakh in a fake WhatsApp stock scheme.

Deepfake videos help the crooks gain trust. One Bengaluru grandmother saw a doctored clip of Infosys founder Narayana Murthy and invested in a fake trading app. In another case, a retired man was duped by a bogus promo featuring Mukesh Ambani, sending ?19 lakh to fraudsters. Senior citizens save for decades; now they can lose it all, often at the click of a link.

Tragically, most victims never speak up. Few cases make headlines; most scam survivors keep quiet. We still stigmatise defeat. A NITI Aayog report bluntly notes that society's tendency to shame victims makes them afraid to report cybercrimes. Fear of gossip or blame keeps losses secret. Even when cheated, many elders lack the resources or knowledge to fight back.

The state's response is a scandal of its own. Even as fraudsters shamelessly use Modi's and Sitharaman's faces, the government does little to catch them. Press offices issue fact-checks – PIB publicly debunked a fake Modi investment video – but actual prosecutions are rare. Meanwhile, the authorities show zealous energy for a different kind of "crime." Critics and journalists who expose wrongdoing are slapped with colonial-era sedition laws and sweeping terror acts.

This is outrageous and dangerous. Every day, more families lose life savings to online cons. Lawmakers, police, tech platforms and citizens must act now. The cybercrime machinery needs teeth: every fraud complaint deserves prompt investigation. We need strict rules against digital scams and robust training to spot red flags. Victims should feel safe to speak out, not silenced by shame. Media and civil society must hold authorities to account.

The new tools that empower criminals can also protect us – but only if we demand it. It's time to break the silence, punish the real criminals, and fix our failing defences. We must end this epidemic of deepfake fraud before the damage grows even worse.

We cannot allow digital con-artists to thrive while victims suffer in silence. The government and law enforcement must prioritise these scams. Investigate, educate, and enact stricter penalties. Only then can we protect our elders, our savings, and our democracy from this growing menace.