A viral WhatsApp message, falsely claiming that the Government of India is offering free laptops to students nationwide, has been debunked by the Press Information Bureau’s Fact Check unit (PIB Fact Check).
The misleading message features a photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and urges recipients to visit a suspicious link to check their eligibility for the scheme, purportedly launching in 2025.
The False Claim
The message reads: “URGENT: The Government of India is promoting the digitalisation of education by offering free laptops to students. Visit this official site and check eligibility https://education.gov.in@tinyurl.com/IndiaFreeLaptop-413.”
It further claims that the laptops will be provided to all students across the country to aid learning, encouraging people to ‘be part of the successful students that will receive a laptop’.
PIB Fact Check took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to clarify the misinformation.
They categorically stated that the message is fake and warned the public not to click on the fraudulent link embedded in the message.
“This message is fake. The URL is fraudulent. Do not click on suspicious links. Always verify such claims through official sources,” the PIB Fact Check unit stated.
Free Laptops Anyone⁉️
A message is being circulated on WhatsApp with a link claiming that the central government is providing free laptops to students.#PIBFactCheck
❌ This message is #fake and the URL is fraudulent.
🚫 Do NOT click on suspicious links.
▶️ Always VERIFY… pic.twitter.com/RRSFrvlaGY
— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) May 18, 2025
Moreover, officials have urged citizens to stay vigilant against such online scams and misinformation campaigns, which often misuse government branding or images to deliberately mislead the public.
Such fraudulent messages not only create confusion but may also expose individuals to cyber threats and data theft.
Official Information Channels
To avoid falling victim to such scams, the public should seek verified information directly from government websites ending with ‘.gov.in’ and follow official government channels for announcements related to education, digital initiatives, or any other public schemes.
The viral WhatsApp message promising free laptops to students is, in fact, a scam that falsely exploits the government’s digital education initiatives and misuses Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s image to mislead citizens.
In response, the government, through the PIB Fact Check, has reiterated the importance of verifying such claims through official sources and has strongly warned against clicking on dubious links.
Furthermore, to strengthen digital safety, citizens should remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious messages, thereby safeguarding themselves and their communities from potential online fraud.
Also Read: PIB Confirms TRAI’s DND App Helps Users Block Telemarketing Calls
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