Latest news with #TrumpHotels
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First Post
27-05-2025
- Business
- First Post
What is the 'Trump Hotel Rental' scam that has duped hundreds of Indians?
An AI-generated deepfake video of the US President Donald Trump urged people to invest in Trump Hotels through an app called 'Trump Hotel Rentals' and promised high returns upon installation. It turned out to be a cyber scam that duped more than 800 people of crores of rupees across Karnataka in the last five to six months read more The scammers lured victims using the US President Donald Trump's name, making the investment scheme called 'The Trump Hotel Rental' seem trustworthy and legitimate. AI-generated representative image An AI-generated video of US President Donald Trump urging you to invest in the Trump Hotel chain, promising a daily return of 3 per cent on your money—sounds like a golden opportunity, right? Unfortunately, it's a cleverly disguised cyberscam that has already tricked hundreds of Indians in the state of Karnataka. As reported by The Times of India, over 800 people have fallen prey to this fraud, collectively losing crores of rupees. The scammers lured victims using the US President's name, making the investment scheme seem trustworthy and legitimate. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Many of the duped investors are now seeking help from the police to recover their hard-earned money. In this explainer, we break down how the scam worked, why it seemed convincing, and most importantly, how you can protect yourself from falling into similar traps. The modus operandi The scam was orchestrated through a mobile app named 'Trump Hotel Rental', which has since been taken down. Fraudsters used it to lure users with assurances of quick and massive returns, sometimes promising over 100 per cent profits. One such victim, a 38-year-old advocate, lost nearly Rs 6 lakh. He told The Indian Express that he stumbled upon a YouTube video in January 2024. It advertised an investment opportunity in 'Donald Trump Hotel Rentals' and featured what appeared to be Donald Trump himself, offering high returns. Curious and convinced, the man clicked the link in the video, which directed him to download an app. To get started, he was asked to fill out a form with his bank details, including his account number and IFSC code. His first deposit was a modest Rs 1,500, which activated his account and promised a daily return of 3 per cent. At first, the scheme delivered—he received small daily payouts, which made the offer look genuine. The scam was orchestrated through a mobile app named 'Trump Hotel Rental', which has since been taken down. Fraudsters used it to lure users with assurances of quick and massive returns. Representative image. Reuters 'I was paid Rs 30 every day, and I was allowed to withdraw it after the total earnings crossed Rs 300. As the money was being paid on time and I could withdraw it, they started asking me to invest more. It started with Rs 5,000 and ended at Rs 1,00,000. Finally, they asked me to pay taxes to withdraw the money. But, they did not return it,' he said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD According to The Times of India, a dashboard on the app showed increasing 'earnings' to the user for each completed task, such as writing company profiles. This made them believe the earnings were genuine. Encouraged by timely payments in the early stages, victims were gradually convinced to invest bigger sums, with assurances of doubling their money within 24 hours. Over 800 people swindled of over Rs 2 crore The scam wasn't isolated to a single location. According to the police, it spread across Karnataka, affecting people in Bengaluru, Tumakuru, Mangaluru, Haveri, and other parts of the state. In just five to six months, the fraud managed to dupe more than 800 people. So far, over 200 victims, including the 38-year-old advocate, have come forward to file complaints. Together, they claim to have lost nearly Rs 2 crore through the fraudulent app. Police said several individuals from government departments, law enforcement, and business backgrounds have also fallen prey to the scam. A case has been registered under the IT Act and Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for cheating. Encouraged by timely payments in the early stages of the 'Trump Hotel Rental' scam, victims were gradually convinced to invest bigger sums, with assurances of doubling their money within 24 hours. AI-generated representative image Further, what makes this scam particularly challenging is its high level of sophistication. A senior cybercrime officer in Bengaluru told website 'The fraudsters used sophisticated tools — AI, social engineering, and app-based redirection.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He added that tracking the origin of the deepfake videos and dismantling the app's backend is proving difficult, as it's reportedly hosted on overseas servers. Investigators are now working closely with national cyber agencies and tech companies to trace the digital infrastructure supporting the scam. However, the use of short-form deepfake videos, combined with frequent changes in the app's name and host, has made the trail difficult to follow. So far, the police have managed to freeze Rs 1.5 lakh in one of the bank accounts where victims' money was routed. 'It has come to light that crores of rupees have been swindled across the country through fake links such as the Trump Hotel Rental scheme, which falsely promises to double your money. The public is urged to reject unknown links and remain vigilant,' stated a police release. Authorities have repeatedly urged citizens to avoid clicking on suspicious links and to thoroughly verify any online investment offers before engaging. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'The public is urged to reject unknown links and remain vigilant,' the police reiterated. With input from agencies
Mint
26-05-2025
- Mint
‘Investment opportunity in Donald Trump Hotel Rentals': How Karnataka lawyer got duped of ₹6 lakh due to an AI video
An advocate based in Karnataka was allegedly duped by cybercriminals of nearly ₹ 6 lakh as he got lured into a fake investment scheme. The scammers lured the 38-year-old advocate into investing in a Trump Hotels rental scheme, saying he will get high returns, police said on Monday. The cybercriminals used an AI-generated video of US President Donald Trump, a trap in which the lawyer fell. The incident was reported on May 6 when the victim went to the Haveri Central Crime Police Station to file his complaint, police said. In his statement, the advocate said that in January this year, he came across a video on YouTube offering an investment opportunity in 'Donald Trump Hotel Rentals.' When he clicked the link, he was directed to download a mobile application. He was then asked to fill out a form, which included submitting his bank account details and IFSC code. According to the police, the victim followed the instructions and paid ₹ ₹ 1,500 to activate his account. He was promised a 3 per cent daily return on his investment. Initially, he received returns and made profits on his investments. Trusting the scheme, he invested more money when asked by the fraudsters, hoping to double his earnings. In total, he deposited ₹ 5,93,240 to various bank accounts, UPI IDs, and digital wallets between January 25 and April 4. However, he stopped receiving returns and was unable to recover the invested amount. A case has been registered under the IT Act and Section 318(4) (cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, police said. During the investigation, it was found that the complainant was tricked through a 'fake' link. Consequently, ₹ 1.5 lakh in the bank account to which the money was transferred has been frozen, a senior police officer said. Police have appealed to the public to stay alert and avoid clicking on suspicious links.
Mint
26-05-2025
- Mint
‘Investment opportunity in Donald Trump Hotel Rentals': How Karnataka lawyer got duped of ₹6 lakh due to an AI video
An advocate based in Karnataka was allegedly duped by cybercriminals of nearly ₹ 6 lakh as he got lured into a fake investment scheme. The scammers lured the 38-year-old advocate into investing in a Trump Hotels rental scheme, saying he will get high returns, police said on Monday. The cybercriminals used an AI-generated video of US President Donald Trump, a trap in which the lawyer fell. The incident was reported on May 6 when the victim went to the Haveri Central Crime Police Station to file his complaint, police said. In his statement, the advocate said that in January this year, he came across a video on YouTube offering an investment opportunity in 'Donald Trump Hotel Rentals.' When he clicked the link, he was directed to download a mobile application. He was then asked to fill out a form, which included submitting his bank account details and IFSC code. According to the police, the victim followed the instructions and paid ₹ ₹ 1,500 to activate his account. He was promised a 3 per cent daily return on his investment. Initially, he received returns and made profits on his investments. Trusting the scheme, he invested more money when asked by the fraudsters, hoping to double his earnings. In total, he deposited ₹ 5,93,240 to various bank accounts, UPI IDs, and digital wallets between January 25 and April 4. However, he stopped receiving returns and was unable to recover the invested amount. A case has been registered under the IT Act and Section 318(4) (cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, police said. During the investigation, it was found that the complainant was tricked through a 'fake' link. Consequently, ₹ 1.5 lakh in the bank account to which the money was transferred has been frozen, a senior police officer said. Police have appealed to the public to stay alert and avoid clicking on suspicious links. "It has come to light that crores of rupees have been swindled across the country through fake links such as the Trump Hotel Rental scheme, which falsely promises to double your money. The public is urged to reject unknown links and remain vigilant," the police release said.
The Independent
21-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Tucker Carlson says Trump's deal to build hotel in the Middle East ‘seems like corruption'
Tucker Carlson, a former Fox News host with a history of praising President Donald Trump, is raising concerns over the commander-in-chief's plans to build hotels and resorts in Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Earlier this month, NBC News reported the Trump Organization signed deals to build a Trump International Hotel and Tower in Dubai, a Trump Tower in Jeddah and a golf resort in Doha. The company also has a hotel under construction in Muscat. The president spent four days in the Middle East earlier this month, touring Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Carlson made the remarks during an episode of The Tucker Carlson Show this week after his guest, Shawn Ryan, a former Navy Seal said he was 'losing hope' with the administration, adding it needed 'a lot of work.' While approving of the president's crack down on DEI initiatives and efforts to secure the southern border, Ryan took issue over the botched efforts to release the Epstein Files, before offering a scathing review of dealings in the Middle East. 'I see all these negotiations going on in the Middle East and then, I don't know when these buildings were approved or when these deals got done, but then I also see like, oh, there's a brand new hotel going up in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, and another one going up in Doha,' Ryan told Carlson. 'I'm like, did these just get done also with the deals that just happened over there, or was this earlier? You would probably know.' Carlson responded: 'No, I don't know. I've not made one dollar in the Middle East. Not one.' 'You're a lot more on the inside than I am,' said Ryan in response, to which Carlson protested: 'No, no, no, I'm just a visitor and a traveler and watcher.' Ryan continued: 'That stuff kind of worries me.' 'Well it seems like corruption, yeah,' Carlson added.
