No, PM is not giving out free masks to all, it’s a usual TeleMarketing WhatsApp scam.
A message is viral on WhatsApp claiming PM Modi, under Swachh Bharat, is giving our free masks to all Indians against Corona Virus.
“करोना वायरस के बढ़ते प्रकोप से हमारे प्रधानमंत्री श्री नरेंद्र मोदी जी ने सवच्छ भारत के अंतर्गत सभी भर्तीओ को करोना वायरस मुक्त माक्स फ्री में देने का फैसला किया है आप भी निचे लिंक पर क्लिक करके अपना फ्री माक्स ऑर्डर करके पहनिए और सवच्छ भारत का हिस्सा बनिए।
https://pmmaskyojna.blogspot.com/”
Translation:
“Due to the rising outbreak of Karona virus, our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has decided to give Co’rona virus free’ mask Free to all the recruiters under Swachh Bharat, you can also wear your order by clicking the link below and become part of Swachh Bharat.”
https://twitter.com/ankitbs3609/status/1239039659247841280
Truth
This is False and is a scam to collect your mobile number to be sold to TeleMarketers and install malwares on your phone to collect other personal data.
Following is the text from “Terms & Privacy.” on blog page where they cleared it’s just fun and not real.
“इस वेबसाइट का उदेश केवल मजाक ( prank ) करना है आपके दोस्त ने इस वेबसाइट के जरिए आपको वेबकूफ बनाया है यहाँ कोई भी narendr modi awas yojna ऑफर नहीं चल रहा है अगर आप भी अपने दोस्तों को वेबकूफ बना कर मजाक करना चाहते हो तो इसे अपने दोस्तों को शेयर करे और इस वेबसाइट का उदेश किसी भी तरह से आपको मानसिक या साररिक रूप से हानि पहुंचना नहीं है और ना ही आपकी किसी भी जानकारी को लेकर उसका गलत उपयोग करना है और इस वेबसाइट में आपकी किसी भी जानकारी को सेव नहीं किया जा रहा है “
Translation:
“The purpose of this website is only to joke (prank) your friend through this website, there is no narendr modi awas yojna offer going on here, if you also want to make fun of your friends by making them fool, then Share your friends and the purpose of this website is not to harm you in any way, mentally or physically, nor to misuse any of your information and use it in this website Save any of your information is not being”
This is the usual methodology as explained in such WhatsApp Scam last time –
A message is viral on WhatsApp thanking you for making TikTok, India’s Number One application and celebrating completion of 50 crore users, it’s giving out T-Shirts for free. It has given a link where you need to register. It also says the offer is only till 30th June so place the order quickly.
The viral Message –
“Tik Tok को भारत का नंबर 1 एप्लीकेशन बनाने के लिए आप सभी का धन्यबाद, TIK TOK के 50 करोड़ यूजर पुरे होने की ख़ुशी में TIK TOK आप सभी को दे रहा है फ्री TIK TOK प्रिंट टीशर्ट तो निचे लिंक पर क्लिक करके अपनी फ्री टीशर्ट आर्डर करे।
👉🏼 https://www.tiktokgift.xyz/
क्रप्या ध्यान दे: 🙏 यह ऑफर केवल 30 जून तक ही सिमित है इसलिए जल्दी अपनी फ्री टीशर्ट आर्डर करे.”
The domain name has just been created yesterday
According to the usual scam methodology, this also is asking you to share this in 10 WhatsApp groups
Analysis
These are WhatsApp scams i.e. the only medium these spread on and use is WhatsApp medium, not on FB, Twitter etc.
These scams earns from two methods
1. Since offers doesn’t ask people to pay up, being free, they think of giving it a try so they fill the form, submit and share in other WhatsApp groups as this scam asks. Further in other groups, others also give it a try which results in lakhs of registration on the site.
So the owner of website gets a database of lakhs of mobile numbers which he\she can sell for tele-marketing and you start receiving such calls e.g. Isurance, Finance, Loans etc.
2. Advertisement (Banner) on their page which gets lakhs of visits in short period through which also owner of the page/site earns a lot.
What can you do ?
Following are the points to recognize these scams
1. The URL/website is never official or simple. Government websites end by “.gov”. Many offers come in the name of a online mall like Amazon, Flipkart or brands like Nike, Xiaomi etc, but none have link to their official websites but to long complicated URL with many characters.
2. After filling out your information and submitting, these sites ask you to share in 8-10 other WhatsApp groups
3. These have advertisements banners on their page
4. Either they do not have links to other pages of site or doesn’t work for e.g. About Us, Privacy etc.
5. Looking closely results in many spelling errors or grammatical errors.
6. They look alike i.e. vertical in both mode i.e. mobile and desktop
Previous such Scams debunked –
BEWARE! Many old WhatsApp scams floating around under new names and offers.
Another WhatsApp Scam. PM is not giving away laptops for free
Yet another WhatsApp scam, this time in the name of free t-shirt from Reliance Jio
It’s a TeleMarketing Scam. You can’t extend JIO offer with this.
A WhatsApp Scam back again, misusing photo of our PM as usual.
https://smhoaxslayer.com/can-you-change-whatsapp-from-green-to-any-o
- Congressmen are using an edited image explaining why Rahul Gandhi will become PM. - January 19, 2023
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- An aerial photo of a Thailand Highway is being used by BJP leaders claimed as Mumbai Nagpur Samruddhi Expressway - December 9, 2022
