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A Delhi resident turned the tables on an online fraudster impersonating his college senior by using ChatGPT to track the scammer’s location and capture his image, revealing the potential of AI as a tool for digital vigilance and creative justice.
The victim created a fake payment portal using ChatGPT.
New Delhi: routine social media interaction turned into a high-tech operation for a Delhi resident after a scammer reached out to him on Facebook, posing as his college senior and an IAS officer. The scammer claimed that a CRPF officer friend was being transferred and was selling high-end furniture and appliances at unusually low prices. The offer appeared too good to be true, triggering suspicion.
To verify the claim, the man contacted the supposed CRPF officer on WhatsApp, only to confirm that the messages were part of a fraudulent scheme. Despite realizing the scam, the man decided to take matters into his own hands after the scammer sent photos of the furniture and requested payment via a QR code from another account featuring an army uniform profile picture.
Rather than ignoring the scam, the Delhi resident leveraged ChatGPT to create a fake payment portal. He instructed the AI to generate a simple yet functional webpage that looked legitimate to the scammer but was actually designed to capture sensitive information, including geolocation, IP address, and front camera images.
Once the portal was ready, he sent the link to the scammer, instructing him to upload the QR code to expedite the payment. The scammer fell into the trap, unknowingly sending his location and live image to the man. According to the Reddit post where the man shared his experience, the images and location data he received were astonishingly clear. He then sent the scammer his own photo and location, signaling that he had full control of the situation.
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After being caught, the scammer tried to reach the man through multiple phone numbers. The man shared screenshots showing the fraudster pleading for forgiveness and promising to abandon the scam. The scammer admitted to being involved in fraudulent activities and begged desperately, clearly shocked by the turn of events.
The Delhi resident acknowledged that while the scammer might attempt to defraud someone else in the future, the experience of “stealing from a thief” provided a sense of satisfaction. The incident has captured public attention as a unique example of using AI creatively for digital vigilance.
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This story underscores the growing threat of online scams and the ways individuals can protect themselves using technology. Social media platforms remain a common vector for impersonation and fraud, while AI tools like ChatGPT offer new possibilities for tracking and countering malicious actors. Experts note that while creative, such tactics also raise ethical and legal considerations regarding privacy and digital conduct.
The Reddit post by the Delhi resident serves as both a cautionary tale and a demonstration of how AI can empower individuals against online scams. By turning the scammer’s own methods against him, the incident highlights the evolving landscape of cybersecurity, digital ethics, and personal vigilance in the age of artificial intelligence.
