Vidya Balan files complaint after Instagram impersonator asks people money for jobs

Vidya Balan has over nine million followers on Instagram.

Actor Vidya Balan has filed a police complaint after an impersonator created a fake profile on Instagram in her name and asked people for money, news agency ANI reported.

The impostor, who is yet to be identified, created an identical Instagram ID and asked people for money, assuring them of jobs.

Khar Police in Mumbai has registered a first information report (FIR) against unknown persons under sections of the Information Technology (IT) Act.

Balan, 45, has over nine million followers on Instagram and is active on the social media platform.

She will be next seen in the romantic comedy "Do Aur Do Pyaar" that will be realeased in theatres on March 29. Her last film was murder mystery "Neeyat" which released last year.

She will return as Manjulika in "Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3" which will be a Diwali release this year, actor Kartik Aaryan announced recently.

Balan starred in the first “Bhool Bhulaiyaa” in 2007 alongside Akshay Kumar, Shiney Ahuja and Amisha Patel. The film, directed by Priyadarshan, is a remake of the iconic 1993 Malayalam psychological horror-comedy “Manichitrathazhu”.

Celebrities and other notable figures frequently find themselves as targets of impersonators on Instagram and other social media platforms. Given their large followings and widespread recognition, impersonators use their images and often try to mislead follower, seeking money for fake job offers and promoting scams.

In recent months, actors Rashmika Mandanna, Alia Bhatt, Katrina Kaif and Kajol were targets of deepfake content, sparking concerns of the rampant misuse of artificial interlligence (AI). Actors and celebrities are easy targets of deepfakes as well because there is ample footage and images of them available on the internet to train AI programs.