Fake Government Money Scheme Ads Circulating on Facebook, Investigation Reveals

A series of deceptive Facebook advertisements claiming to offer cash prizes from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government have been identified as sophisticated scams designed to trick users into making payments to unknown entities.

The fraudulent ads, which have gained significant traction on social media, feature manipulated images of PM Modi and other senior government officials, alongside AI-generated audio that mimics the Prime Minister’s voice to lend credibility to the false offers.

One prominent advertisement displays images of PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, with text urging viewers to “Click on the ‘Get offer’ button for a chance to win 5,000 rupees.” The ad features a voice closely resembling PM Modi saying in Hindi: “Brothers and sisters, click on the ‘Get offer’ button now and get up to 5,000 rupees as a prize from me.”

A second fraudulent advertisement incorporates the logo of popular payment platform PhonePe alongside text promising: “Scratch the card below to win up to 2,000 rupees cashback in your PhonePe wallet.” Similar to the first scam, this ad also features AI-generated audio mimicking the Prime Minister’s voice encouraging users to “scratch and see whether 2,000 rupees is waiting for you.”

A third variation circulating in southern India uses text in Kannada language alongside an image of a 500-rupee note, promising users a prize of up to Rs 1,478 if they touch the displayed banknote image.

An investigation into these advertisements revealed a consistent pattern of deception. When users click on the “Get offer” buttons, they are redirected to counterfeit websites designed to resemble official government portals. These fake sites prominently display political symbols like the BJP’s lotus logo to reinforce their apparent legitimacy.

The fake websites typically feature digital scratch cards that, when activated, reveal “winnings” ranging from Rs 965 to Rs 1,494. However, rather than delivering the promised funds, users are then redirected to payment gateways where they are instructed to make payments of similar amounts, supposedly to unlock their prizes.

“The transaction notes suggest that if users pay the money, it will be credited to their bank account,” the investigation found. “However, payments would actually go to different merchant accounts, indicating a coordinated scam operation.”

Audio analysis of the voice clips in the advertisements, conducted using AI detection tool Deepfake-O-Meter, revealed strong indicators that the audio had been artificially generated to mimic PM Modi’s voice—a sophisticated tactic to enhance the scam’s credibility.

No official government schemes offering free money to citizens have been announced through any legitimate channels. The Central government has not launched any initiative providing cash rewards for PM Modi’s birthday or any other occasion, contrary to what some of the ads claim.

The scam operation appears to be adapting its techniques, with varying amounts requested and different payment merchants used across multiple versions of the fraud. However, the core mechanism remains consistent: luring victims from Facebook to fake websites and then attempting to extract payments.

These scams highlight the growing sophistication of online financial fraud in India, particularly those exploiting government themes and public figures to appear legitimate. Citizens are advised to verify any government scheme announcements through official channels and to be wary of offers that seem too good to be true, especially those requiring upfront payments to receive promised benefits.