Beware of Fake ‘Yojnas’: Inside the Social Media Govt Scheme Ad Scams Promising Instant Cash Grants

The rising adoption of technology and the government’s push for digitisation have changed  how citizens access welfare support. Eligible beneficiaries of government schemes can apply for, and receive financial aid under state and central government schemes directly through online portals and mobile platforms.

However, this growing reliance on digital platforms has also led to a rise in cybercrime as fraudsters are now exploiting the public trust in such initiatives. According to a recent advisory issued by the National Cybercrime Threat Analytics Unit (NCTAU), a specialised body operating under the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) within the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), scamsters are deploying deceptive digital advertisements to defraud citizens of their money.

In its advisory, the NCTAU has flagged a surge in such scams wherein fraudsters are using social media campaigns designed to empty victims' bank accounts under the pretext of distributing government grants and cash rewards.

What NCTAU Said In Its Advisory

According to the NCTAU’s advisory, fraudsters are using popular social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram to disseminate misleading advertisements. In these ad campaigns, fraudsters impersonate high-profile political and public figures, routinely using fake ads featuring the Prime Minister of India, the Union Finance Minister, and various State Chief Ministers to falsely claim that the government is rolling out immediate financial assistance or lucrative investment programs.

According to the advisory, the phenomenon manifests in two distinct formats. The first involves fabricated welfare ‘yojnas’ or schemes promising direct cash payouts to eligible citizens. The second relies on gamified cashback schemes, such as scratch-card or spin-and-win contests, which claim to celebrate milestones or official events by granting instant cash rewards. In both scenarios, the fraudsters try to manipulate their targets into parting with their hard-earned money.

Modus Operandi Of The Impersonation Scam

The fraud operates by creating and posting fake government ads on social media; these posts use sophisticated deepfakes or digitally manipulated video footage where prominent leaders appear to personally announce relief schemes. In several instances, the ads are deliberately classified under political categories to bypass standard scrutiny.

Once a user clicks on the advertisement, they are typically directed into private communication channels, such as a direct WhatsApp chat or a phone call. The NCTAU observed in its report that in multiple cases, victims receive communications or calls originating from international numbers, particularly with the +92 country code of Pakistan, claiming that the individual has been chosen to receive emergency relief or grant funding.

Alternatively, users are directed to cloned web pages where an interactive wheel spin or virtual scratch card guarantees a cash prize. The financial fraud typically occurs during the disbursement stage.

To receive the promised grants, the victim is informed that they have to first clear upfront charges. The scammers demand payments categorised as processing fees, file charges, verification costs, registration amounts, or government taxes.

When dealing with fake cashback rewards, the victim is often presented with a UPI collect request or prompted to enter their confidential transaction PIN inside a payment application. Believing that typing their PIN will allow them to receive funds, victims unknowingly authorise a debit transaction that instantly transfers their savings into fraudulent merchant accounts.

What Citizens Can Do To Avoid Getting Defrauded

To safeguard themselves against such impersonation networks, the NCTAU has urged members of the public to check the veracity of the ads before engaging with any welfare promotions.

Citizens must verify the authentic existence of such schemes on the official web portals of the relevant government ministries or state departments, rather than relying on social media ads. Whenever an individual claiming to represent a public department approaches a citizen, they should attempt to authenticate the individual’s identity by visiting the local administrative office in person.

The agency has also stressed that genuine government welfare programs do not require beneficiaries to pay advance administrative fees, processing charges, or taxes to claim statutory benefits. Thus, citizens should refrain from transferring money or sharing sensitive credentials, including bank account particulars, identity records, passwords, and one-time passwords (OTPs).

Additionally, the advisory highlighted a fundamental rule of digital payments: a UPI PIN is strictly used to authorise outgoing payments and is never required to receive money into an account. Users should examine the details of every UPI collect request carefully before taking action.

The agency has also urged citizens to report suspicious advertisements and messages from unknown international accounts to the national cybercrime helpline at 1930 or through the official cybercrime reporting portal at cybercrime.gov.in.