Message offering 22-carat gold as a gift on Kalyan Jewellers’ 30th anniversary is a scam

Context

A text message circulating on WhatsApp and social media claims that users can win 22-carat gold as a gift on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Indian jewellery company Kalyan Jewellers. Clicking the link shows a pop-up that reads, "Congratulations! Kalyan Jewellers 30th Anniversery Celebration, Everyone have change to win amazing 22 karat gold gifts. Click "OK" to claim reward (sic)." Once the OK button is pressed, the user is directed to fill in personal details such as age, gender, and other details. 

The user is then requested to select a box from a menu, after which a pop-up appears stating, "Congratulations you have won couple gold rings. Follow the instructions to receive it today!" or other alleged rewards depending on the selected box. Later, the pop-up asks the user to share the message on WhatsApp. However, the link is not authentic and has not been officially sent out by Kalyan Jewellers. 

In Fact

Kalyan Jewellers' official Facebook page on April 13, 2023, issued a clarification noting that it has nothing to do with this offer and the message is a scam. The post states, "It has been brought to our attention that there is a link that is being shared on WhatsApp and social media about Kalyan Jewellers' 30th Anniversary gift. This is NOT a verified or official communication from Kalyan Jewellers, and we advise you to refrain from logging into the website and providing any personal/confidential information."

There were also several discrepancies that indicated that the link is not credible. Logically Facts observed that the web address which claims the offer reads, "fkmainsvarsadtrands.blogpost.com" and is only supported on mobile phones, not browsers. The announcement would also have typically been officially published on the company’s website, "kalyanjewellers.net." We did not find any announcements of such an offer on the website or the company’s social media handles. In fact, on the company’s official website, a pop-up warns against this online fraud. 

Reports from local news outlets based in Kerala, such as Anweshanam and Kerala Online news, state that Kalyan Jewellers India, which is headquartered in Thrissur, Kerala, has lodged a complaint with the cybercrime department in Thrissur against this online scam, and an investigation is underway. 

The Verdict

A WhatsApp link claiming to provide free gold from Kalyan Jewellers is fake. The company has distanced itself from such claims, terming the link as online fraud. Therefore, we have marked the claim as false.