A video circulating widely on social media claims that the government is offering three months of free mobile recharge to mark Makar Sankranti. Users are urged to click on a link provided in the bio to avail of the alleged benefit.
The above post can be seen here (archive)
NM VERIFIED
NewsMobile investigated the viral claim and found it to be misleading and part of an online phishing scam.
Upon clicking the link shared in the post, users are redirected to a suspicious website — cryptobatter.com — which has no affiliation with any telecom operator or government authority. The use of an unrelated and unofficial domain itself raises a major red flag.
A thorough keyword search yielded no credible news reports or official announcements backing the claim. We also checked the verified websites and social media handles of Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio, Vodafone Idea and BSNL, along with official government platforms. No free recharge scheme of this nature has been announced.
The claim that the government or telecom companies are providing a three-month free recharge is completely false. The viral message is a classic phishing attempt, designed to divert users to fake websites and potentially harvest personal or financial information.
Additionally, NewsMobile analysed the video using an AI-detection tool, Hive Moderation, revealed clear signs of digital manipulation, confirming that the video has been AI-generated.
In conclusion, the viral video is fake. Users are advised to remain cautious and avoid clicking on unverified links shared on social media.
