Fake WhatsApp message claims Rahul Gandhi is giving out free mobile recharge for three months

What’s the claim

A message circulating on WhatsApp claims that Congress MP Rahul Gandhi is gifting three months of complimentary mobile recharge to all Indian users as an incentive for those who vote for the Congress party in the 2024 General Elections. The message was accompanied by a link that directed users to a website endorsing this alleged offer. The WhatsApp message, forwarded many times, reads, “Rahul Gandhi is giving 3 Months Free recharge to all Indian users so that more and more people can vote for Congress in the *2024 elections* and Congress government can be formed again. Click on the link given below to get 3 Months Free Recharge. (Last Date - 16 NOVEMBER 2023).” The narrative is also viral on Facebook.

Screenshot of claims made online and on WhatsApp (Source:WhatsApp/Facebook/Modified by Logically Facts)

What we found

Logically Facts found the message is a hoax. No official announcement by Congress claims that it will provide free mobile recharge three months before the 2024 elections.

Notably, the website featuring this alleged offer includes an image featuring Rahul Gandhi and text stating "Congress Free Recharge Yojana." Despite searching on Google, we couldn't find any results confirming the existence of such a scheme launched by the Congress party. We have contacted the Congress party, and this article will be updated if we receive a response.

The link included in the post also differs significantly from the official Congress party link (https://www.inc.in), which clearly indicates a potential scam. Symbols like "@" and a different domain structure (congress2024.limitedoffer.xyz) in the link indicate that it is fake and likely designed for malicious purposes.

Staying cautious and avoiding interaction with such deceptive links is essential to protect against scams and potential security threats. A proactive approach will help protect your personal information and prevent you from falling victim to phishing attempts that could compromise your online security.

An almost identical message is circulating online with the claim that the BJP is handing “three months of free recharge to all Indian mobile service customers" under the "BJP Free Recharge Yojana." However, no evidence exists that the BJP has launched such a scheme.

Screenshot of claims made online about PM Modi giving three months of free recharge (Source: X)

Both claims are unevidenced and the WhatsApp message has been identified as a deliberate hoax.

The verdict

The message about BJP and Congress providing three months of free recharge to Indian mobile service customers is false; it has been identified as a scam. Therefore, we have marked this as fake.