- Pragati Naagar's viral rap reel led to widespread misuse of her voice by AI-generated profiles on Instagram
- AI-created hyper-real bot videos used her voice to attract millions of views and solicit money
- Experts advise checking skin texture, eye movements, and profile age to spot AI-generated videos
In the digital era we live in, artificial intelligence has swept into every aspect of our lives. While people with good intentions are using it for advancements in medical science, technology, and making human life easier, others with a criminal mindset are creating havoc, both online and offline.
Recently, Just a Boy, a Japanese rap song created by DrINsaNE, an 8-member Italian band, went viral on social media, especially Instagram. Its groovy music and electrifying energy soon caught up with social media users, especially audio influencers who memorised its lyrics and aced singing it.
But what transpired later has left the internet baffled. Following an audio influencer's reel in which she aced the notes and pronunciation of Just a Boy, hundreds of people began using her voice in the background of AI‑generated videos featuring hyper‑real bots, also created using AI tools.
Why? To go viral on social media and fool people into giving them money. That's how a viral song triggered a wave of AI‑driven catfishing across platforms, especially Instagram.
How Viral Japanese Rap Just A Boy Triggered Catfishing Online
Pragati Naagar, a Delhi-based vocalist, posted her reel of singing Just a Boy on January 28, 2026. Following that, her video went viral for all good reasons, but people who run AI‑model platforms used her voice and expressions to create similar reels, replacing her face with hyper-real AI models.
A couple of days ago, she wrote in the comments of her reel, "Seeing my voice used in AI videos with millions of views is surprising. I don't mind AI usage - credit matters. Thank you to everyone who knows this is my original voice and has been tagging me. It truly means a lot."
Consider Aanyaa Sheoran, a creator based in Noida. Her page features two reels using Just a Boy, posted a day apart, both using Pragati Naagar's voiceover. The first video has 2.5 million views, and the second has 2.6 million views.
Accounts created just a few days, weeks, or months ago began posting similar hyper‑real reels, garnering millions of views. Many viewers could not differentiate these AI models from real human creators and interacted with them, seeking collaborations and offering monetary rewards.
Similarly, Ira, another AI-generated digital creator, followed the same pattern and posted a reel three days ago. It already has 3.8 million views. Vartika Patil has a similar reel with 2.5 million views, and her bio suggests that people can DM her if they'd like to collaborate.
The Instagram algorithm is promoting these videos and the audio, helping the real humans behind AI‑model profiles reach millions of users, deceive them with hyper‑real videos, and extract money. While the models are not real, their admins are, and the unregulated algorithm of the platform is helping them push their agendas further.
Also, who would you hold accountable in case of fraud?
How To Identify If The Video Is Real Or AI-Generated
Ishan Sharma, a YouTuber and author, shared a reel on Instagram explaining how people are making lakhs by creating viral videos using AI prompts and even gave tips on how creators do this to earn via affiliate marketing and collaborations.
However, in the caption, he also shared how to identify a real video from an AI-generated one,
- Observe the lighting and textures of the skin. If it's an AI model, the skin would appear poreless, almost like plastic
- The profiles would be new since AI tools used to create these videos have been developed recently
- Look for random eye (or even hand) movements, a common giveaway in AI videos
- There won't be any random videos of the model on their stories. Their entire profile will have either perfect images or reels on trending audios.
In a world where trust is scarce, people falling for AI models and trusting their profile admins is a frightening reality.
Also Read | What Is The Viral Japanese Rap Just A Boy That Instagram Users Can't Stop Loving
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