Diwali Scams 2026: AI Deepfakes, Fake Deals and How to Stay Safe

Diwali brings India's biggest shopping week of the year, and scammers know it. This season many scams are made with AI: deepfake videos of celebrities "announcing" huge discounts, AI-written prize and refund messages, and lookalike shopping sites built in an afternoon. Before you click, pay or forward, you can check a suspicious image with a free AI image detector.

This guide covers the scams to watch for, a 30-second checklist for the whole family, and where to report fraud in India.

Try it: use ProofAI's check if an image is AI-generated, free for 10 checks a day with no login.

Why AI scams rise at Diwali

People are worried, and with reason. In McAfee's 2025 festive-season research, 72% of Indians said they feared AI-driven scams more than the year before (CRN India), and 69% said they had come across scams such as deepfake celebrity endorsements during holiday sales (Storyboard18).

Festive urgency ("only 2 hours left!"), gift buying and heavy mobile payments make it easier to rush someone into a mistake. AI makes the fakes look more polished than ever.

The scams to watch for

1. Deepfake celebrity offers

A video of a famous actor or cricketer "personally" promoting a giant Diwali sale, a free gift or an investment. The face and voice may look and sound right because they are AI-generated or AI-altered. The link goes to a fake shop or payment page.

Check: real brand offers appear on the brand's official website and verified accounts. Pause the video on a clear frame and run a screenshot through an AI image detector; our deepfake video checklist shows what else to look for.

2. "You've won" and gift card messages

SMS, WhatsApp or email messages saying you won a phone, a gift card or a festive bonus, asking you to click a link or pay a small "processing fee". AI makes these messages fluent and personal.

Check: you cannot win a contest you never entered. No genuine prize asks you to pay first.

3. Lookalike shopping sites

A copy of a real brand's website with product photos, reviews and a countdown timer, at prices far below anyone else. Payment is often UPI only, with no cash on delivery.

Also read: AI Detector vs Plagiarism Checker: What's the Difference?

Check: look at the exact web address, search for the shop's name plus "scam" or "reviews", and be wary of new sites with only UPI payment.

4. Refund, delivery and OTP calls

A caller or message about a failed delivery, a refund or a cancelled order, asking for an OTP, a UPI PIN or a screen-sharing app.

Check: never share an OTP or UPI PIN. You never need your PIN to receive money.

5. Fake product photos and reviews

AI-generated product photos and reviews that make a poor or non-existent product look premium.

Check: reverse-search the product photo to see where else it appears, and run it through a free AI image detector for signs that it was AI-generated. A free Content Credentials checker also shows whether the file itself says it was made with AI.

A 30-second check before you pay or forward

1. Is the offer on the brand's official site or app? If not, assume it is fake.
2. Is there pressure? "Only minutes left" and "last chance" are the scammer's best tools.
3. Are you asked to pay first or share an OTP or PIN? Stop.
4. Does the photo or video look too perfect? Check a frame with an AI image detector before you share it.
5. Not sure? Ask someone in the family before you click. Scams work on speed.

If you already paid or shared details

• Call the cyber crime helpline 1930 or report at cybercrime.gov.in as soon as possible. The government's Sanchar Saathi portal gives the same advice for anyone who has already lost money (Sanchar Saathi).
• Report the suspicious call, SMS or WhatsApp message on Chakshu in Sanchar Saathi (Sanchar Saathi), even if you did not lose money. Reports help block the numbers.
• Call your bank to block your card or UPI, and change any password you entered on the fake site.

What an AI detector can and cannot do

An AI image detector can tell you how likely a picture or video frame is to be AI-generated. That is a useful warning sign, but not proof that an offer is a scam, and a real photo can still be part of a scam. Use the result together with the checks above: official source, no pressure, never pay first.

FAQ

How do I know if a Diwali offer video is a deepfake? Look for the offer on the brand's official website and verified accounts. Deepfakes often show odd lip sync, blurry edges around the face and unnatural blinking. Pause on a clear frame and check it with an AI image detector.

Where do I report a cyber fraud in India? Call 1930 or report at cybercrime.gov.in. Report suspicious calls and messages on Chakshu in the Sanchar Saathi portal.

Is a "you won a prize" message on WhatsApp real? Almost never. If you did not enter a contest, you cannot win it, and no real prize asks you to pay a fee first.

Can AI make fake product photos and reviews? Yes. AI tools can create realistic product photos and fluent reviews in seconds. Reverse-search photos and read reviews on independent sites.

Is it safe to share my OTP with a delivery agent? Only share a delivery OTP in person with the agent at the moment you receive your order, and never share a UPI PIN or a bank OTP with anyone.

Conclusion

Diwali scams look more convincing every year because AI does the hard work for the scammer. Slow down, check the official source, never pay first or share an OTP, and run suspicious images through a detector before you share them. Wishing you a safe and happy Diwali.