#FactCheck: Old clip of Greenland tsunami depicts as tsunami in Japan

Introduction 

The geographical world has physical boundaries, but the digital one has a different architecture and institutions are underprepared when it comes to addressing cybersecurity breaches. Cybercrime, which may lead to economic losses, privacy violations, national security threats and have psycho-social consequences,  is forecast to continuously increase between 2024 and 2029, reaching an estimated cost of at least 6.4 trillion U.S. dollars (Statista). As cyber threats become persistent and ubiquitous, they are becoming a critical governance challenge. Lawmakers around the world need to collaborate on addressing this emerging issue.

Cybersecurity Governance and its Structural Elements

Cybersecurity governance refers to the strategies, policies, laws, and institutional frameworks that guide national and international preparedness and responses to cyber threats to governments, private entities, and individuals. Effective cybersecurity governance ensures that digital risks are managed proactively while balancing security with fundamental rights like privacy and internet freedom. It includes, but is not limited to :

1. Policies and Legal Frameworks: Laws that define the scope of cybercrime, cybersecurity responsibilities, and mechanisms for data protection. Eg: India’s National Cybersecurity Policy (NCSP) of 2013, Information Technology Act, 2000, and Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, EU’s Cybersecurity Act (2019), Cyber Resilience Act (2024), Cyber Solidarity Act (2025), and NIS2 Directive (2022), South Africa’s Cyber Crimes Act (2021), etc.
2. Regulatory Bodies: Government agencies such as data protection authorities, cybersecurity task forces, and other sector-specific bodies. Eg: India’s Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), Europe’s  European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA), and others.
3. Public-Private Knowledge Sharing: The sharing of the private sector’s expertise and the government’s resources plays a crucial role in improving enforcement and securing critical infrastructure. This model of collaboration is followed in the EU, Japan, Turkey, and the USA. 
4. Research and Development: Apart from the technical, the cyber domain also includes military, politics, economy, law, culture, society, and other elements. Robust, multi-sectoral research is necessary for formulating international and regional frameworks on cybersecurity. 

Challenges to Cybersecurity Governance 

Governments face several challenges in securing cyberspace and protecting critical assets and individuals despite the growing focus on cybersecurity. This is because so far the focus has been on cybersecurity management, which, considering the scale of attacks in the recent past, is not enough. Stakeholders must start deliberating on the aspect of governance in cyberspace while ensuring that this process is multi-consultative. (Savaş & Karataş 2022). Prominent challenges which need to be addressed are: 

• Dynamic Threat Landscape: The threat landscape in cyberspace is ever-evolving.  Bad actors are constantly coming up with new ways to carry out attacks, using elements of surprise, adaptability, and asymmetry aided by AI and quantum computing. While cybersecurity measures help mitigate risks and minimize damage, they can’t always provide definitive solutions. E.g., the pace of malware development is much faster than that of legal norms, legislation, and security strategies for the protection of information technology (IT). (Efe and Bensghir 2019).
• Regulatory Fragmentation and Compliance Challenges: Different countries, industries, or jurisdictions may enforce varying or conflicting cybersecurity laws and standards, which are still evolving and require rapid upgrades. This makes it harder for businesses to comply with regulations, increases compliance costs, and jeopardizes the security posture of the organization. 
• Trans-National Enforcement Challenges: Cybercriminals operate across jurisdictions, making threat intelligence collection, incident response, evidence-gathering, and prosecution difficult.  Without cross-border agreements between law enforcement agencies and standardized compliance frameworks for organizations, bad actors have an advantage in getting away with attacks. 
• Balancing Security with Digital Rights: Striking a balance between cybersecurity laws and privacy concerns (e.g., surveillance laws vs. data protection) remains a profound challenge,  especially in areas of CSAM prevention and identifying terrorist activities. Without a system of checks and balances, it is difficult to prevent government overreach into domains like journalism, which are necessary for a healthy democracy, and Big Tech’s invasion of user privacy. 

The Road Ahead: Strengthening Cybersecurity Governance 

All domains of human life- economy, culture, politics, and society- occur in digital and cyber environments now. It follows naturally, that governance in the physical world translates into governance in cyberspace. It must be underpinned by features consistent with the principles of openness, transparency, participation, and accountability, while also protecting human rights. In cyberspace, the world is stateless and threats are rapidly evolving with innovations in modern computing. Thus, cybersecurity governance requires a global, multi-sectoral approach utilizing the rules of international law, to chart out problems, and solutions, and carry out detailed risk analyses. (Savaş & Karataş 2022). 

References

• https://www.statista.com/forecasts/1280009/cost-cybercrime-worldwide#statisticContainer
• https://link.springer.com/article/10.1365/s43439-021-00045-4#citeas 
• https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/cybersecurity-policies#ecl-inpage-cybersecurity-strategy 

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Introduction

In an era where digital connectivity drives employment, investment, and communication, the most potent weapon of cybercriminals is ‘gaining trust’ with their sophisticated tactics. Prayagraj has been a recent battleground in India's cybercrime landscape. Within a one-year crackdown, over 10,400 SIM cards, 612 mobile device IMEIs, and 59 bank accounts were blocked, exposing a sprawling international fraud network. These activities primarily targeted unsuspecting individuals through Telegram job postings, fake investment tips, and mobile app scams, highlighting the darker side of convenience in cyberspace. With India now experiencing a wave of scams enabled by technology, this crackdown establishes a precedent for concerted cyber policing and awareness among citizens. 

Digital Deceit: How the Scams Operated

SIM cards that have been issued through fake or stolen identities are increasingly being used by cybercriminals in Prayagraj and elsewhere. These SIMs were the initial weapon in a highly organised fraud system, allowing criminals to conduct themselves anonymously while abusing messaging services like WhatsApp and Telegram. The gangs involved in these scams, some of which have been linked by reports to nations like Nepal, Pakistan, China, Dubai, and Myanmar, enticed their victims with rich-yielding stock market advice, remote employment offers, and weekend employment promises. After getting a target engaged, victims were slowly manipulated into sending money in the name of application fees, verification fees, or investment contributions.

API Abuse and OTP Interception

What's more alarming about these scams is their tech-savviness. From Prayagraj's cybercrime squad, several syndicates are reported to have employed API-based mobile applications to intercept OTPs (One-Time Passwords) sent to Indian numbers. Such apps, cleverly disguised as genuine services or work-from-home software, collected personal details like bank account credentials and payment card data, allowing wrongdoers to carry out unauthorised transactions in a matter of minutes. The pilfered funds were then quickly transferred through several mule accounts, rendering the money trail almost untraceable.

The Human Impact: How Citizens Were Trapped

Victims tended to come from job-hunting groups, students, or housewives seeking to earn additional income. Often, the scammers persuaded users to join Telegram channels providing free investment advice or job-referral-based schemes, creating an illusion of authenticity. Once on board, victims were sometimes even paid small commissions initially, creating a false sense of success. This tactic, known as “advance-fee confidence building,” made victims more likely to invest larger sums later, ultimately leading to complete financial loss.

Digital Arrest Threats and Bitcoin Ransom Scams

Aside from investment and job scam complaints, the cybercrime cell also saw several "digital arrest" scams, where victims were forced to send money under the threat of engaging in criminal activities. Bitcoin extortion schemes were also used in some cases, with perpetrators threatening exposure of victims' personal information or browsing history on the internet unless they were paid in cryptocurrency.

Law Enforcement’s Cyber Shield: Local Action, Global Impact

Identifying the extent of the threat, Prayagraj authorities implemented strategic measures to enable local policing. Cyber Units have been formed in each of the 43 police stations in the district, each made up of a sub-inspector, head constable, constable, lady constable, and computer operator. This decentralised model enables response in real-time, improved victim support, and quicker forensic analysis of hacked devices. The nodal officer for cyber operations said that this multi-level action is not punitive but preventive, meant to break syndicates before more harm is caused.

CyberPeace Recommendations: Prevention is Power

As cybercrime gets advanced, citizens will also have to keep pace with it. Prayagraj's experience highlights the importance of public awareness, digital literacy, and instant response processes. To assist in preventing people from falling victim to such scams, CyberPeace advises the following:

• Don't click on dubious APK links sent on WhatsApp or Telegram.
• Do not share OTPs or confidential details, even if the source appears to be familiar.
• Never download unfamiliar apps that demand access to SMS or financial information.
• Block your SIM card, payment cards, and bank accounts at once if your phone is stolen.
• Report all cyber frauds to cybercrime.gov.in or your local Cyber Cell.
• Never join investment or job groups on social sites without verification.
• Refuse video calls from unknown numbers; some scammers use this method of recording or blackmailing victims.

Conclusion

Prayagraj crackdown uncovers both the magnitude and versatility of cybercrime in the present. From trans-border cartels to Telegram job scams, the cyber front is as intricate as ever. But this incident also illustrates what can be achieved when technology, law enforcement, and public awareness come together. To stay safe from cyber threats, a cyber-conscious citizenry is as important as an effective cyber cell for India. At CyberPeace, we know that defending cyberspace begins with cyber resilience, and the story of Prayagraj should encourage communities everywhere to take active digital precautions. 

References

• https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/lucknow-news/over-10k-sims-blocked-as-job-investment-frauds-rise-in-prayagraj-101753715061234.html
• https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-recognize-and-avoid-phishing-scams
• https://faq.whatsapp.com/2286952358121083
• https://education.vikaspedia.in/viewcontent/education/digital-litercy/information-security/preventing-online-scams-cert-in-advisory?lgn=en
• https://cybercrime.gov.in/Accept.aspx
• https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/perils-advance-fee-fraud-protecting-yourself-from-scammers-sharma/

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Executive Summary:

A viral online video claims Billionaire and Founder of Tesla & SpaceX Elon Musk of promoting Cryptocurrency. The CyberPeace Research Team has confirmed that the video is a deepfake, created using AI technology to manipulate Elon’s facial expressions and voice through the use of relevant, reputed and well verified AI tools and applications to arrive at the above conclusion for the same. The original footage had no connections to any cryptocurrency, BTC or ETH apportion to the ardent followers of crypto-trading. The claim that Mr. Musk endorses the same and is therefore concluded to be false and misleading.

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Claims:

A viral video falsely claims that Billionaire and founder of Tesla Elon Musk is endorsing a Crypto giveaway project for the crypto enthusiasts which are also his followers  by consigning a portion of his valuable Bitcoin and Ethereum stock.

   Post link

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Fact Check:

Upon receiving the viral posts, we conducted a Google Lens search on the keyframes of the video. The search led us to various legitimate sources featuring Mr. Elon Musk but none of them included any promotion of any cryptocurrency giveaway. The viral video exhibited signs of digital manipulation, prompting a deeper investigation.

We used AI detection tools, such as TrueMedia.org, to analyze the video. The analysis confirmed with 99.0% confidence that the video was a deepfake. The tools identified "substantial evidence of manipulation," particularly in the facial movements and voice, which were found to be artificially generated.

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Analysis link

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Additionally, an extensive review of official statements and interviews with Mr. Musk revealed no mention of any such giveaway. No credible reports were found linking Elon Musk to this promotion, further confirming the video’s inauthenticity.

Conclusion:

The viral video claiming that Elon Musk promotes a crypto giveaway is a deep fake. The research using various tools such as Google Lens, AI detection tool confirms that the video is manipulated using AI technology. Additionally, there is no information in any official sources. Thus, the CyberPeace Research Team confirms that the video was manipulated using AI technology, making the claim false and misleading.

• Claim: Elon Musk conducting giving away Cryptocurrency viral on social media.
• Claimed on: X(Formerly Twitter)
• Fact Check: False & Misleading

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