A fake app called Trump Hotel Rental scammed over 800 people in Karnataka, promising high returns through investment and remote job offers.
The app used AI-generated videos of Donald Trump to appear real.
Victims lost nearly Rs 2 crore before the app was taken down. The fraud had been active for about six months before being reported.
The app showed users fake dashboards with rising "earnings" for simple tasks like clicking ads or sharing personal details.
To build trust, it allowed small early withdrawals, then asked for bigger investments and taxes.
Many users, including a Karnataka lawyer who lost Rs 6 lakh, were tricked by these fake profits and never received promised returns.
Police across Karnataka have begun investigations, with several FIRs already filed in different districts.
Authorities are urging victims to report and are working with cybercrime teams to trace the scammers and recover the stolen money.
