Inside ‘Donald Trump Rental App’ Scam That Swindled Rs 2 Crore From 200 Karnataka Residents

Cybercriminals designed a mobile application bearing the name ‘Donald Trump rental app’ and circulated promotional material on platforms like YouTube to lure unsuspecting investors.

A new wave of cyber fraud has hit Karnataka with over 200 residents losing more than Rs 2 crore in a scam involving a fake mobile application named the ‘Donald Trump rental app’. Cybercriminals used an AI-generated video of US President Donald Trump to lend credibility to a fraudulent investment scheme, police officials said.

Haveri SP Anshu Kumar told ANI, "A new online fraud has started...They (accused) made an app named 'Donald Trump rental app'. The victims, while clicking the link, download the app. Then the app asks them to deposit a registration amount...By convincing the victim, they take a huge amount, and then they abscond. In this matter, a case has already been registered at the Haveri police station, where the victim has lost around Rs 6 lakh in the same app. We have information that there are a lot of victims. We request the victims to come forward and file a complaint at their nearest police stations..."

What Is ‘Donald Trump Rental App’ Scam & How It Worked

Cybercriminals designed a mobile application bearing the name ‘Donald Trump rental app’ and circulated promotional material on platforms like YouTube to lure unsuspecting investors. Many individuals, convinced by the seemingly legitimate branding, downloaded the app and proceeded to deposit a registration fee as instructed.

The fraud began with AI-generated videos of Donald Trump falsely promoting a luxury rental scheme under Trump brand. The victims were led to download a fraudulent mobile app through promotional links, as per reports. They paid a nominal fee (e.g., Rs 1,500) to register. Early returns (often around 3% daily) were credited to instill confidence, prompting larger investments. Once substantial amounts were collected, the app was shut down, and victims were locked out.

Advocate Among Victims

A 38-year-old lawyer from Karnataka became one of the major victims of the scam, as per a report on PTI. Lured by a promotional YouTube video in January 2025, he downloaded the app and initially earned small profits. Encouraged, he invested a total of Rs 5.93 lakh between January and April into various bank accounts and digital wallets provided by the fraudsters. His returns abruptly stopped, and he was unable to retrieve his funds.

A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Information Technology Act and Section 318(4) (cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Authorities have frozen Rs 1.5 lakh in one of the associated bank accounts and continue to trace the remaining funds.