Fact Check: No, you did not win Rs. 25L in KBC lucky draw; message is hoax

The message is a hoax.

The Delhi cyber cell has clarified that messages that ask a person to send their personal bank information or any such sensitive information to an unknown WhatsApp number are a hoax. It said fraudsters send WhatsApp messages to unsuspecting victims from unknown numbers (most of them starting with +92, the ISD code of Pakistan) and claim that their mobile number has won a lottery jointly organized by Kaun Banega Crorepati and Reliance Jio worth Rs. 25 lakhs. In order to claim the prize, the person is asked to call the number provided in the message.

This then leads to the fraudsters demanding money on one pretext or another. When the victim starts insisting on getting the money or refuses to pay more, they stop calling and discontinue the WhatsApp numbers.

This is not the first time such a message has gone viral. In 2020, Republic World and The Times of India had debunked the same hoax and in 2018, the Mumbai police, in response to a user asking for help, had tweeted, "Please do not share any sensitive details over a call and visit the nearest police station for further support."

People are advised not to share their bank information or any sensitive information to anyone in order to receive a surprise prize. Individuals must verify the messages and information by first contacting the head office of KBC or via the official webpage. Such messages are a scam.

Hence, the WhatsApp message claiming that the receiver has won a prize of Rs. 25 lakhs in a KBC lucky draw is a hoax.