What happened
The Indian Express reported on 8 November 2026 that the cyber police station of the Pimpri-Chinchwad police commissionerate near Pune issued an advisory about fraudulent messages circulating on WhatsApp and other social media platforms falsely claiming that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved a Rs 8,000 Diwali cash gift for all Indian citizens. The messages contain links promising access to the purported grant. The Prime Minister and the government are impersonated and are not involved.
How the scam works
According to the advisory, issued by Deputy Commissioner of Police Rohidas Pawar, the links may lead to fraudulent websites that collect personal and banking information, may ask victims to pay a registration or processing fee or approve UPI transactions, and may prompt them to download malicious applications. Festival gift lures work because they combine authority (the Prime Minister's name) with a cash promise and a short deadline around Diwali.
Typical follow-up steps include asking for Aadhaar or PAN details, bank account numbers, OTPs, ATM PINs, CVVs or UPI PINs, or sending a UPI collect request that takes money rather than delivering a gift. Some links install apps that can read SMS codes or take over payment wallets. Forwarding the message to friends is often encouraged, which spreads the scam quickly.
Police urged people not to click the links, pay any fee, or share identity or banking secrets, and to verify government schemes only on official websites. Victims are advised to call the 1930 helpline quickly, as rapid reporting can help freeze funds, or use the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal at www.cybercrime.gov.in.
Source
The Indian Express report, 8 November 2026: https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/rs-8000-pm-narendra-modi-diwali-gift-scam-cyber-police-warning-malicious-links-10955364/
