Rs 19.50 lakh/month income on Rs 18,000 investment? Government explains reality of viral message

A website impersonating a leading national news brand, and misusing the name of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharman is spreading a message that a government-backed scheme is offering a monthly income of Rs 19.5 lakh on a meagre investment of Rs 18,000.

When the message became viral, even the Press Information Bureau (PIB) had to intervene and let people know if the message was true or false.



The PIB Fact Check team has said that it’s a scam and the image is fake and AI-generated. Neither the Finance Minister nor the Government of India has endorsed any such investment scheme or platform.

Also read: IDFC First Bank fraud case: Are your FD, savings account deposits at risk if fraud happens at bank branch?

The team also asked not to click on any links with such images, as it may be a phishing attempt and warned not to share personal or financial details online.

If you come across such suspicious advertisements or links, report them immediately to the cybercrime helpline (1930) or through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (www.cybercrime.gov.in). Timely reporting can help prevent others from falling victim to similar scams.

What is Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System (CFCFRMS)?

The Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System has been developed by the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre and is operated by respective state/UT which brings together law enforcement agencies of states/UTS, banks and financial intermediaries on a single platform to take immediate action on the complaints regarding financial cyber frauds received through helpline number 1930. The calls are received by respective state/UT police officials.
I4C, MHA is the platform provider. Complaints are lodged and handled by respective state/UT law enforcement agencies.

What is vishing?
Vishing is an attempt where fraudsters try to seek personal information like customer ID, net banking password, ATM PIN, OTP, Card expiry date, CVV, etc., through a phone call.

What is phishing?
Phishing is a type of fraud that involves stealing personal information such as customer ID, IPIN, credit/debit card number, card expiry date, CVV number, etc. through emails that appear to be sent from a legitimate source.

What is spamming?
Spamming occurs when someone receives unsolicited commercial messages sent via email, SMS, MMS and any other similar electronic messaging media. They may try to persuade a recipient to buy a product or service, or visit a website where he can make purchases; or they may attempt to trick him/ her into divulging bank account or credit card details.