Alert! A viral message promising for free internet? Its a SCAM

Fake messages on social media platforms have become a new phenomenon that is disrupting the lives of many. Social media is used as a weapon to peddle lies that have a certain agenda. Therefore, a new fake message is doing rounds that claim to offer free internet. This is a scam.

In order to protect users from falling on these traps, the telecom companies have time and again issued advisories where they are warning users that any messages that promise free recharge plans to free education is potentially a fake message and it aims at stealing your personal data. 

“It has been brought to our notice that fake messages are being circulated by people on social media platforms with fraudulent intentions. The telecom organization noted that the message falsely claims that the Government has promised 100 million users free recharge plans for online education. “It encourages people to click on a link to avail the free offer,” the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) told  Zee Media Bureau.

COAI issued a stern warning saying that telecom users should not fall into this trap and must not click on any malicious links that have the potential to steal their data from their smartphones or computers. “We want to caution the public about this scam. If you get such a message, DO NOT click on the Link as it could lead to data and information theft from the mobile device, and can have other serious consequences.”

The industry body asked users to break this chain by not forwarding such false messages to any friends or relatives. To stop this, one should simply delete and not forward such messages and therefore, we can together fight this menace and save others from getting cheated, the report said.

The latest example is WhatsApp Pink — a new computer virus, which is being spread with malicious intentions and can cause complete data loss of the target devices, an India Today report suggested.