The Cyber Security Center has issued a warning urging the public not to believe videos featuring Qamariddin Shaykhov and Ortiqkhojayev

 
Fraudsters on social networks are circulating a video involving Qalampir.UZ founder, Qamariddin Shaykhov, and former mayor of Tashkent, businessman Jahangir Ortiqkhojayev. Their voices have been manipulated using artificial intelligence programs. The Cyber Security Center of the Emergency Investigation Department, Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan, released a statement addressing the situation.

The statement begins with a plea to "protect yourself and your loved ones from falling into the trap of fraudsters." It emphasizes that the perpetrators utilized artificial intelligence programs to manipulate video images of Qalampir.UZ founder and editor-in-chief, Qamariddin Shaykhov, and entrepreneur Jahangir Abidovich Ortiqkhojayev. The doctored audio recordings are being disseminated on Instagram, various channels on Facebook, and the Telegram messenger. One particular channel, named "Raida," is presented as an ostensibly honest trade, promising internet users’ significant profits in a short period.

The Center for Cyber Security urges citizens not to trust messages from individuals involved in virtual fraud. The statement advises individuals to verify information spread on social networks through official sources to confirm its accuracy.

QALAMPIR.UZ clarifies that the fraudulent video, wherein the voices are altered through artificial intelligence programs, is sourced from an interview between Qamariddin Shaykhov and Tashkent Mayor Jahangir Ortiqkhojayev in December 2018. The interview, conducted entirely in Uzbek, did not reference the "Raida" channel, halal trade, or other similar online games, businesses, and gambling-based activities.