Fact Check: Is Jio giving free data for six months due to COVID-19 lockdown?

The COVID-19 lockdown has evidently put a strain on many lives in India but that hasn't stopped from malicious internet users to share fake news and committing cybercrime. As the lockdown has made users spend more time on the internet, various fake messages baiting people to download questionable third-party apps in exchange for getting free data have come to light. Now, a similar fake message has been spotted by netizens. 

Also read: Fact Check: Did the Philippines police shoot a man dead at COVID-19 checkpoint?

Claim 

A recent forwarded message through SMS and Facebook ads are claiming that Jio and Facebook are giving away 25 GB daily data for the next six months due to the COVID-19 lockdown. The message also consists of a link which users can and install a fake app. The fake application actually looks very similar to the MyJio application.

Also read: Fact Check: Did the first volunteer in the UK Coronavirus vaccine trial die in 2 days?

Rating - False

The official spokesperson of Jio has revealed to a leading news daily that the message being circulated through SMS and social media is actually fake. No such tie-up between Jio and Facebook was ever announced and message makes a fabricated claim about the collaboration. The link shared in the fake message is actually made by Weebly which is a free website builder. But the website is not active anymore. 

Origin 

Various reports are suggesting that the Jio-Facebook 25 GB free data message is actually a serious cybercrime. The number sending out the message is also reported from India. The message was circulated through SMS and was later quickly shared on social media. When the website was functioning, it would lead users to download a third-party app which crashed after showing one pop-up advertisement, giving it plenty of time to put malicious software and viruses in the device. 

Also read: Fact check: Will the central government reduce retirement age to 50 due to COVID-19?

Google Trends Analysis

As a number of people started receiving the message about Jio's free data pack for 25 GB, they took to themselves and searched for the message's authenticity on the internet. This resulted in a surge of search results for the same. Check it out below - 

Also read: Fact Check: Is the video showing animals reclaiming the world amid lockdown true?

Also read: Fact Check: Did a Pune-based doctor named Megha Vyas die due to the Coronavirus?