Viral ‘Banana AI Saree’ selfies may risk fraud, warn Jalandhar rural police

Fraudulent apps mimicking Gemini’s editing tool are also emerging, luring users into uploading selfies and personal details. (Representative image)

The Jalandhar Rural Police have issued a strong advisory against the viral “Banana AI Saree” trend sweeping Instagram, cautioning that users experimenting with Google Gemini’s image-editing tool may be exposing themselves to serious data privacy risks.

The trend, which uses Gemini’s Nano Banana feature to transform selfies into retro Bollywood-style saree portraits, has gone viral across social media, with thousands sharing AI-generated images of themselves in traditional attire.

However, authorities warn that uploading personal photos to such apps could leave individuals vulnerable to identity theft and online fraud.

“Users must understand that once sensitive facial data is uploaded, it can be stored, analysed, and even misused,” a senior Jalandhar police officer said last week. She stressed that what seems like harmless fun may have long-term consequences if biometric data is exploited by cybercriminals.

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A day earlier, echoing similar concerns, IPS officer VC Sajjanar had posted a cautionary note on X, “Be cautious with trending topics on the internet! Falling into the trap of the ‘Nano Banana’ craze can be risky. With just one click, the money in your bank accounts can end up in the hands of criminals.”

Cyber experts say  that Gemini’s own terms allow uploaded photos to be used for AI training, raising further privacy issues. Fraudulent apps mimicking Gemini’s editing tool are also emerging, luring users into uploading selfies and personal details.