Centre Issues Strong Advisory Over Fake WhatsApp Messages Requesting Donations For Army Welfare

The speed of misinformation distribution in our digital age creates public confusion as well as financial fraud opportunities. The circulated fake WhatsApp message misled citizens by requesting financial contributions for the Indian Army. The text misrepresented itself as part of official state programmes. The Central Government acted promptly to inform the public about the risks involved in deceitful scams. The following text provides complete information regarding the current situation and genuine donation methods while explaining ways to avoid misleading information.

Government’s Immediate Response

The Indian Government used the Ministry of Defence and Press Information Bureau (PIB) to release immediate warnings. Officials clarified:

• The Indian Army, along with both the Defence Ministry and the government's authorised entities, never issued any donation appeal to the public.

• People should avoid donating funds to unapproved bank accounts distributed by social media and WhatsApp.

• The military fundraising process should be completed through authorised official websites and official donation portals only.

• The PIB countered the misleading message through its fact-checking service, which directed people to report fake messages directly to the cybercrime authorities.

Also Read: WhatsApp OTP Scam: Hackers Impersonate Friends To Hijack Accounts

Official Statement

“The Indian Army warns that all donation requests through WhatsApp messages are completely untrue. People should avoid responding to fake messages that they receive. Government authentication of communication channels remains the reliable source of information.” ~ Ministry of Defence.

Tips To Identify And Avoid Fraudulent Donation Appeals

The following steps will help you avoid such fraudulent scams:

• Verify URLs: The verification of URLs should include inspection of established websites that use extensions such as .gov.in and .org.

• Cross-Check Information: The best verification method is to check official information on websites maintained by the government and the Ministry of Defence.

• Beware of Urgent Appeals: Don't yield to last-minute appeals for help because scammers employ this method to extract money from victims.

• Look for Official Communication: Verification of donation appeals must start from checking their origin on government social media handles, official websites, and newspapers.

• Use Secure Payment Methods: Payments should always occur through official gateways instead of sending money to personal accounts that appear in messaging applications.

Report all suspected fraud cases by calling the Cyber Crime Helpline 1930 or by making a complaint on www.cybercrime.gov.in.