Fact-Check | Got a call from KBC: It's fake phishing attempt; ignore and flag it

As Kaun Banega Crorepati is set to return with a brand new season, fraudsters have once again become active and are running phishing scams to extract bank details and other sensitive information from the general public.

Currently, a message is being circulated on WhatsApp promising users prize money of Rs 25 lakh. Claiming to be from the official team of KBC, the message tricks individuals into believing that they have won the huge amount in a lottery.

The message also carries a contact number and asks people to give a call on it in order to obtain a cheque to transfer the sum into their bank accounts. Another similar message doing the rounds claims that the likes of Mukesh Ambani, Amitabh Bachchan and even Prime Minister Narendra Modi took part in the lottery.

"This message is to inform you that your number has won a lottery of Rs 25 lakh from Kaun Banega Crorepati. Contact on the given mobile number to get your cheque," the message reads in Hindi.

Here is a screenshot of the message:

Fact-Check

International Business Times, India, carried out a fact-check and found out that all the lottery messages and calls being made in the name of the popular game show are nothing but a hoax. The fraudsters resort to such mischievous ways before the start of every new season of KBC.

Firstly, we went through all the official social media pages of the show as well as of the channel that airs it and did not come across a single post talking about any sort of lottery. If a lottery had actually been run by the makers, they would have publicised it on different platforms.

Secondly, we came across a 2018 tweet by the Mumbai Police warning a Twitter user to beware of such fraudulent schemes and not share personal details. "Please do not share any sensitive details over a call and visit the nearest police station for further support," the Mumbai Police's tweet read.

Therefore, we hereby conclude that the KBC lottery messages and calls are a scam and also advise the admirers of the show to not fall prey to the fraudsters by sharing sensitive information.

The shooting of the twelfth season of the Amitabh Bachchan-hosted show is currently underway in Mumbai with all necessary precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19.