Covid –19: ‘PM Mask Yojana’ info on WhatsApp and other social media apps is fake, says PIB Fact Check

It has been confirmed that there is no such Yojana and no related link from where you can order masks.

This misinformation might not be limited to WhatsApp but can spread via other social media platforms and apps as well including Facebook, Twitter and even plain text messages (HT)

PIB Fact Check has confirmed that messages on social media about 'PM Mask Yojana' are fake. The fact checking handle by the government adds that there is no such Yojana and no related link from where you can order masks free of cost. In the image posted by PIB Fact Check on Twitter, the fraudulent link to order the mask starts with www.narendramodiawasYojana[...].  

Claim : Amidst #CoronaOutbreak, a social media message claims free masks are being distributed by Government under 'PM Mask Yojana'. A link is provided for placement of orders#PIBFactCheck: There is no such scheme. This is a fraudulent link. Do not spread such #FakeNews pic.twitter.com/C17WQeRJGC

— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) May 1, 2020

It is worth adding that this misinformation can spread via WhatsApp and other social media apps as well including Facebook, Twitter and even plain text messages. "No such scheme has been launched by Govt of India. Beware of such fake and fraudulent sites collecting your personal info/fees," adds the tweet.

That said, spreading of misinformation and fraudulent links are not new and many do become a victim of this. So we recommend users to forward a piece of information only after verifying it and making sure it's not something fraudulent, specially during the pandemic.

More recently, PIB Fact Check cleared that there is no Rashtriya Sikshit Berojgar Yojana that provides ₹50,000 online transfer to all ration card holders. The Twitter posts adds that such sites could get hold of your banking data and can dupe you as well.  

Last month, PIB cleared out that the government is not spying on your WhatsApp messages and there is no third tick shown to indicate that authorities are taking note of what you're typing. For those unaware, WhatsApp shows a single tick in front of a message when it is sent, two ticks when it is received by the other person and both of them turn Blue when the other person reads the message.