A social media post accompanying the web address of the TRAI portal is doing rounds, suggesting that TRAI is offering free mobile recharge and urging the public to take advantage of the same. The post includes a link to a blog that explains how telecom companies offer free recharge schemes for activities like downloading apps, referring to friends, or participating in surveys. In this article, we check the authenticity of this news.
Claim: TRAI is offering free mobile recharge.
Fact: TRAI is not offering any free mobile recharge. Providing recharges or directing telecom companies to offer free recharge to users is not within TRAI’s mandate. One must be cautious about clicking on fraudulent links, as they may lead to data breaches or financial fraud. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
First and foremost, it is important to understand that TRAI was established to create and nurture conditions for the growth of telecommunications in the country. It regulates telecom services in the country. Providing recharges or directing telecom companies to offer free recharges to users is not within its mandate. Therefore, the claim that TRAI is offering free recharge is baseless.
Furthermore, the blog shared in the viral post claims that telecom companies run promotional campaigns, such as downloading apps, referring to friends, or participating in surveys, which offer free recharges. However, it is not telecom companies but third-party applications that conduct such promotional campaigns offering free recharges. We could not find any reports indicating that telecom companies are running such promotional campaigns.
There have been numerous instances in the past where false claims about free recharge offers were attributed to various telecom companies, political parties, and even government schemes. Both the government and Factly have debunked these claims. Detailed reports on these debunked claims can be viewed here, here, here, and here.
There is a high likelihood that viral posts like these contain suspicious links or attachments. Clicking on these links could compromise data privacy or lead to financial fraud. Some links might request personal information or financial details, promising prizes or free recharges. The viral post links to a blog that was recently registered in China in July 2024.
The domain of the link in the viral post, ‘hgoff.cyou,’ suggests that it is not genuine. Verifying details such as the domain is crucial to ensure authenticity. Therefore, it is advisable to be cautious and avoid such fraudulent messages.
To sum it up, TRAI does not provide free mobile recharge.
