Viral video circulating on WhatsApp showing PM Narendra Modi's announcing free 3-month mobile recharge for Chhath Puja is fake

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A 30-second video is circulating on WhatsApp and other platforms claiming that the Government of India is offering three months of free mobile recharge to all users on the occasion of Chhath Puja. PIB Fact Check has dismissed the claim as false and urged citizens not to believe or share the clip.

What the video claims

The video, which appears to be made in the style of a news bulletin, states that the government has launched a limited-period Chhath Puja scheme under which every Indian mobile user is eligible for a three-month free recharge. The clip urges viewers to forward the message further to “avail the benefit”, adding to its perceived authenticity.

PIB Fact Check issues clarification

PIB Fact Check posted the video on X and stated that no such scheme has been announced by the Government of India. The agency called the video fabricated and warned users against such festival-linked fraud narratives that repeatedly appear around major festivals.

These viral clips often mimic official announcements and are published close to festivals or public events. They use limited-time language, ask users to forward the message, or direct them towards external links framed as registration portals. The intent is either to extract personal data or to lure users into malicious pages.

🔴 ऑनलाइन फ्रॉड से सावधान रहें!

एक वायरल व्हाट्सएप मैसेज में दावा किया जा रहा है कि भारत सरकार छठ पूजा के अवसर पर सभी भारतीय यूजर्स को 3 महीने का फ्री मोबाइल रिचार्ज दे रही है।

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📢 #PIBFactCheck

➡️ यह दावा #फ़र्ज़ी है।

➡️ भारत सरकार ने ऐसी कोई घोषणा नहीं की है।

➡️ यह संदेश… pic.twitter.com/jF77vxKcyz

— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) October 27, 2025

Users can send videos, messages, or images related to central government schemes to confirm authenticity before circulation.

The takeaway

Festival-timed misinformation campaigns are recurring tactics used to exploit public trust in government welfare schemes. Users are advised to rely only on official portals and verified government handles for scheme announcements and not to forward unverified media, even when packaged as news.