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Published 15:47 IST, March 28th 2020

Fact Check: Is Jio offering free ₹498 recharge for all users?

Fact Check: Messages offering links to free ₹498 Jio recharge were circulating on the internet but have since then been proven false. Read below for details.

Reported by: Amir Khollam
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The 21-day lockdown in India due to the Coronavirus outbreak has evidently put a strain on people's lives. Keeping aside a few minuscule activities, it is only expected that people spend a big chunk of their day indulging in online platforms which require internet. Be it streaming YouTube videos or playing online games, the internet is a requirement to fulfil both leisure and business activities in the modern world. In an evident attempt to exploit this vulnerability of people, many notorious internet users started spreading messages which consisted of fake web links to â‚¹498 recharge of Jio data and calling services. 

Also read: Fact Check: Did PM Modi announce a one-week Internet shutdown in India amid Coronavirus?

Claim - 

Various social media posts and WhatsApp messages were forwarding fake links of â‚¹498 Jio recharge. The messages suggested that Jio has availed this offer their user by taking current situations into consideration. Various messages were sharing different fake links of the Jio website with the same claim. The messages were predominantly forwarded in Hindi on WhatsApp and various other regional languages on other platforms. Check it out below - 

Jio
jio

 

Rating - False

The official Jio Twitter account has denied offering free â‚¹498 recharge to anyone. The links shared in the messages would lead users to a fake Jio website which would ask them to register their names and numbers and collect data. Besides this, such links can also lead websites full of malware which can, in fact, harm your device. If one needs to know about the offers or recharge packages offered by Jio, their official website is listed below - 

  • Official Jio Website - https://www.jio.com/welcome

Also read: Fact Check: Has Wipro's Azim Premji donated Rs 50,000 crore towards the Coronavirus fight?

Origin - 

The fake message first started circulating on the WhatsApp messenger. Soon after, various people also started circulating the message on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter. various YouTube videos were also made by various netizens which provided the viewers with the fake link for the â‚¹498 Jio recharge. 

youTube

Google Trends analysis for fake â‚¹498 Jio recharge messages

As the fake messages of Jio offering free â‚¹498 recharge started circulating on the internet, people were quick to search on Google whether the messages held any credibility. As a result, a surge of people searching for â‚¹498 Jio recharge was witnessed on Google. Check it out below - 

Also read: Fact check: Does Nagpur have 59 new Coronavirus positive cases including three doctors?

Jio free

Also read: Fact check: Is the social distancing image actually of a Puducherry milk booth?

Jio

Also read: Fact Check: Were 925 Coronavirus patients healed in Italy in the last 24 hours?

15:46 IST, March 28th 2020