#FactCheck – Human Helicopter or AI Illusion? The Truth Behind the Viral Flying Man Video

Introduction

The insurance industry is a target for cybercriminals due to the sensitive nature of the information it holds. This makes it essential for insurance companies to have robust cybersecurity measures to protect their data and customers’ personal information.

Cyber fraud in India’s insurance industry is increasing. It is reported that the Indian insurance sector has witnessed a surge in cyber-attacks, with several instances of data breaches, identity thefts, and financial fraud being reported. These cybercrimes not only pose a significant threat to the financial stability of the insurance industry but also to the privacy and security of policyholders.

Cyber Frauds in the Insurance Industry

The insurance industry in India has been the target of increasing cyber fraud in recent years. With the growing digital transformation trend, insurance companies have become increasingly vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Cyber frauds in the insurance industry are initiated by hackers who use various techniques such as phishing, malware, ransomware, and social engineering to gain unauthorised access to policyholders’ personal data and sensitive information

Kinds of cyber frauds in the insurance industry

It is essential for insurers and policyholders alike to be aware of these kinds of cyber-attacks on insurance companies in today’s digital age. Staying educated about these threats can help prevent them from happening in the future.

Identity theft– One common type of cyber fraud that occurs in the insurance industry is identity theft. In this type of fraud, criminals steal personal information such as name, address, date of birth and social security numbers through phishing emails or fraudulent websites. They then use this information to open fraudulent policies or access existing ones.

Payment fraud- Another type of cyber fraud that is on the rise is payment fraud. In this type of fraud, hackers intercept electronic payments made by policyholders or agents using fake bank accounts or compromised payment gateways. The money is then siphoned into untraceable accounts, making it difficult for law enforcement agencies to identify and arrest the perpetrators.

Phishing attacks- Where the fraudsters posed as company officials and sent emails to policyholders requesting their account details. The unsuspecting customers fell for this scam and shared their sensitive information, which was then used to access their accounts and steal funds.

Hacking- Where hackers breach the company’s system to gain access to policyholder data. The hackers’ stoles personal records, including names, addresses, phone numbers, social security numbers, and financial information, which they later sell on the dark web.

Fake policies scam- Fraudsters create fake policies using stolen identities and collect premiums from innocent customers. The insurer then voided these policies due to fraudulent activity leaving those people without valid coverage when they needed it most. The victims suffer significant financial losses due to this scam.

Fake Insurance Websites- Discuss the creation of deceptive websites that imitate well-known insurance companies, where unsuspecting individuals provide their personal details, leading to identity theft or financial losses.

Prevention of Cyber Frauds in the Insurance Industry- Best practices to follow

Prevention is better than cure, which also holds true in the case of cyber fraud in the insurance industry. The industry must take proactive steps to prevent such frauds from occurring in the first place. One of the most effective ways to do so is by investing in cybersecurity measures that are specifically designed for the insurance sector.

Insurance companies must conduct regular employee training programs on cybersecurity best practices. This includes educating employees on how to identify and avoid phishing emails, create strong passwords, and recognise potential cyber threats. Companies should also establish a reporting mechanism for employees to report suspicious activity or incidents immediately.

Having proper access controls in place is also necessary. This means limiting access to sensitive data only to those employees who need it, implementing two-factor authentication, and regularly monitoring user activity logs. Regular audits can also provide an extra layer of protection against potential threats by identifying vulnerabilities that may have been overlooked during routine security checks.

Another essential step is encrypting all data transmitted between different systems and devices. Encryption scrambles data into unreadable codes that can only be deciphered using a decryption key, making it difficult for hackers to intercept or steal information in transit.

Legal Framework for Cyber Frauds in the Insurance Industry

The legal framework for cyber fraud in the insurance industry is critical to preventing such crimes. The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has issued guidelines for insurers to establish a cybersecurity framework. The guidelines require insurers to conduct regular risk assessments, implement security measures, and ensure compliance with data privacy laws.

The Information Technology Act 2000, is another significant piece of legislation dealing with cyber fraud in India. The act defines offences such as unauthorised access to a computer system, hacking, and tampering with data. It also provides for stringent penalties and imprisonment for those found guilty of such offences.

The IRDAI’s guidelines provide insurers with a roadmap to establish robust cybersecurity measures to help prevent cyber fraud in the insurance industry. Stringent implementation of these guidelines will go a long way in safeguarding sensitive customer information from falling into the wrong hands.

Best Practices for Insurers and Policyholders

Insurers:

Implementing Strong Authentication: Encouraging the use of multi-factor authentication and secure login processes to safeguard customer accounts and prevent unauthorised access.

Regular Employee Training: Conduct cybersecurity awareness programs to educate employees about the latest threats and preventive measures.

Investing in Advanced Technologies: Utilizing robust cybersecurity tools and systems to promptly detect and mitigate potential cyber threats.

Policyholders:

Vigilance and Awareness: Policyholders must stay vigilant while sharing personal information online and verify the authenticity of insurance websites and communication channels.

Regular Updates and Patches: Advising individuals to keep their devices and software up to date to minimise vulnerabilities that cybercriminals can exploit.

Secure Online Practices: Encouraging the use of strong and unique passwords, avoiding sharing sensitive information on unsecured networks, and exercising caution when clicking on suspicious links or attachments.

Conclusion

As the Indian insurance industry embraces digitisation, the risk of cyber scams and data breaches becomes a significant concern. Insurers and policyholders must collaborate to ensure robust cybersecurity measures are in place to protect sensitive information and financial interests.

It is essential for insurance companies to invest in robust cybersecurity measures that can detect and prevent fraud attempts. Additionally, educating employees on the dangers of cyber fraud and implementing strict compliance measures can go a long way in mitigating risks. With these efforts, the insurance industry can continue to provide trustworthy and reliable services to its customers while protecting against cyber threats. As technology continues to evolve, it is imperative that the insurance industry adapts accordingly and remains vigilant against emerging threats.

Executive Summary

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Muslims offering prayers inside a crowded train in Japan is being widely shared on social media, amid ongoing discussions around the country’s alleged rise in anti-immigration sentiment. The clip is being presented as a recent and real incident. However, an research reveals that the video is not authentic. Experts noted that the prayer postures shown in the clip do not align with standard Islamic practices, raising doubts about its credibility. Further analysis indicates that the video has been generated using artificial intelligence (AI).

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Claim

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A user shared the viral video on YouTube, showing a group of men—mostly dressed in long tunics and skullcaps—appearing to offer prayers inside a moving subway train. Passengers can be seen seated on both sides of the carriage. In the clip, two men are kneeling on the floor and bowing their heads onto a small mat placed in front of them, with their heads coming very close to the knees of seated passengers. Another man is seen bending forward at the waist while standing, and a fourth appears to be standing upright with his eyes closed.

• Link: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/cZHMCUgbDIA

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Fact Check

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A closer examination of the video reveals several visual inconsistencies. One passenger appears to be fused with the seat rails, creating a distorted overlap. Others seem to be seated in areas where seats do not normally exist, such as directly in front of a door. Additionally, an advertisement visible in the background appears blurred and oddly shaped—another common indicator of AI-generated content. An analysis conducted using the Hive Moderation tool found that the video is “likely to contain AI-generated or deepfake content.”

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Conclusion

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The viral claim is misleading. The video does not depict a real incident in Japan. Instead, it is likely AI-generated content being circulated with a false narrative, misrepresenting both the context and religious practices shown in the clip.

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‍Transforming Misguided Knowledge into Social Strength

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यत्र योगेश्वरः कृष्णो यत्र पार्थो धनुर्धरः । तत्र श्रीर्विजयो भूतिर्ध्रुवा नीतिर्मतिर्मम ॥ (Bhagavad Gita) translates as “Where there is divine guidance and righteous effort, there will always be prosperity, victory, and morality.”  In the context of the idea of rehabilitation, this verse teaches us that if offenders receive proper guidance, their skills can be redirected. Instead of causing harm, the same abilities can be transformed into tools for protection and social good. Cyber offenders who misuse their skills can, through structured guidance, be redirected toward constructive purposes like cyber defence, digital literacy, and security innovation. This interpretation emphasises not discarding the “spoiled” but reforming and reintegrating them into society.

Introduction

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Words and places are often associated with positive and negative aspects based on their history, stories, and the activities that might happen in that certain place. For example, the word “hacker” has a negative connotation, as does the place “Jamtara”, which is identified with its shady history as a cybercrime hotspot, but often people forget that there are lots of individuals who use their hacking skills to serve and protect their nation, also known as “white hat hackers”, a.k.a. ethical hackers, and places like Jamtara have a substantial number of talented individuals who have lost their way and are often victims of their circumstances. This presents the authorities with a fundamental issue of destigmatising cybercriminals and the need to act on their rehabilitation. The idea is to shift from punitive responses to rehabilitative and preventive approaches, especially in regions like Jamtara. 

The Deeper Problem: Systemic Gaps and Social Context

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Jamtara is not an isolated or a single case; there are many regions like Mewat, Bharatpur, Deoghar, Mathura, etc., that are facing a crisis, and various lives are uprooted because youth are entrapped in cybercrime rings, often to escape unemployment, poverty, and simply in the hope of a better life. In one such heart-wrenching story, a 24-year-old Shakil, belonging to Nuh, Haryana, was arrested for committing various cybercrimes, including sextortion and financial scams, and while his culpability is not in question here, his background reflects a deeper issue. He committed these crimes to pay for his diabetic father’s mounting bills and to see his sister, Shabana, married. This is the story of almost every other individual in the rural areas who is forced into committing these crimes, if not by a person, but by their circumstances. In a news report covered in 2024, an intervention was launched by various Meo leaders and social organisations in the Mewat region aimed at weaning the youth away from cybercrimes.

Not only poverty, but lack of education, social awareness, and digital literacy have acted as active agents for pushing the youth of India away from mainstream growth and towards the dark trenches of the cybercrime world. The local authorities have made active efforts to solve this problem; for instance, to dispel Jamtara’s unfavourable reputation for cybercrime and set the city firmly on the path to change, community libraries have been established in all 118 panchayats spread across six blocks of the district by IAS officer and DM Faiz Aq Ahmed Mumtaz.

The menace of cybercrimes is not limited to rural areas, as various reports surfaced during and post-COVID, where young children from urban areas became victims of various cybercrimes such as cyberbullying and stalking, and often perpetrators were someone from the same age group, adding to the dilemma. The issue has been noticed by various agencies, and the a need to deal with both victims and the accused in a sensitised manner. Recently, ex-CJI DY Chandrachud called for international collaboration to combat juvenile cybercrimes, as there are many who are ensnared and coerced into these criminal gangs, and swift resolution is the key to ensuring justice and rehabilitation.

CyberPeace Policy Outlook 

Cybercrime is often a product of skill without purpose. The youth who are often pushed into these crimes either have an incomplete idea of the veracity of their actions or have no other resort. The legal system and the agencies will have to look beyond the nature of the crimes and adopt and undertake a reformative approach so that these people can make their way into society and harness their skills ethically. A good alternative would be to organise Cyber Bootcamps for Reform, i.e., structured training with placement support, and explain to them how ethical hacking and cybersecurity careers can be attractive alternatives. One way to make the process effective is to share real-world stories of reformed hackers. There are many who belong to small villages and districts who have written success stories on reform after participating in digital training programmes. The crime they commit doesn’t have to be the last thing they are able to do in life; it doesn’t have to be the ending. The digital programmes should be organised in a way and in a vernacular that the youth are well-versed in, so there are no language barriers. The programme may give training for coding, cyber hygiene, legal literacy, ethical hacking, psychological counselling, and financial literacy workshops.

It has become a matter of reclaiming the misdirected talent, as rehabilitation is not just humane; it is strategic in the fight against cybercrime. On 1st April 2025, IIT Madras Pravartak Technologies Foundation finished training its first batch of law enforcement officers in cybersecurity techniques. The initiative is commendable, and a similar initiative may prove effective for the youth accused of cybercrimes, and preferably, they can be involved in similar rehabilitation and empowerment programmes during the early stages of criminal proceedings. This will help prevent recidivism and convert digital deviance into digital responsibility. In order to successfully incorporate this into law enforcement, the police can effectively use it to identify first-time, non-habitual offenders involved in low-impact cybercrimes. Also, courts can exercise the authority to require participation in an approved cyber-reform programme as a condition of bail in addition to bail hearings. 

Along with this, under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, children in conflict with the law can be sent to observation homes where modules for digital literacy and skill development can be implemented. Other methods that may prove effective may include Restorative Justice Programmes, Court-monitored rehabilitation, etc. 

Conlusion 

A rehabilitative approach does not simply punish offenders, it transforms their knowledge into a force for good, ensuring that cybercrime is not just curtailed but converted into cyber defence and progress.

References

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1.  Ismat Ara, How an impoverished district in Haryana became a breeding ground for cybercriminals, FRONTLINE (Jul 27, 2023, 11:00 IST), https://frontline.thehindu.com/the-nation/spotlight-how-nuh-district-in-haryana-became-a-breeding-ground-for-cybercriminals/article67098193.ece )
2.  Mohammed Iqbal, Counselling, skilling aim to wean Mewat youth away from cybercrimes, THE HINDU (Jul. 28, 2024, 01:39 AM), https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/counselling-skilling-aim-to-wean-mewat-youth-away-from-cybercrimes/article68454985.ece
3. Prawin Kumar Tiwary,Jamtara’s journey from cybercrime to community libraries, 101 REPORTERS (Feb. 16, 2022), https://101reporters.com/article/development/Jamtaras_journey_from_cybercrime_to_community_libraries . 
4. IIT Madras Pravartak completes Training First Batch of Cyber Commandos, PRESS INFORMATION BUREAU (Apr. 1, 2025, 03:36 PM), https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2117256