Beware of a new message offering free data
Jio isn't offering free data due to COVID-19 outbreak
Jio and Facebook recently entered into a partnership
A new message has been doing rounds saying Jio and Facebook are offering 25GB internet data for six months due to the Coronavirus outbreak. And while many wished that was true, it sadly isn’t the case as the message tricks you into downloading an apk file that isn’t verified and seems dubious at best.
Recently, Jio and Facebook entered a partnership that saw the social networking giant pool in 5.7 Billion dollars into Jio Platforms as both the companies now work towards enhancing the Indian retail sector by leveraging WhatsApp. To this effect, the JioMart service is being beta tested in some regions of Mumbai.
The message being circulated says, “GOOD NEWS! Jio and Facebook are giving 25GB Data Daily for 6 months to all Jio users due to lockdown of COVID-19. Download this app now” followed by a link to a website that tries to mimic Jio’s official website’s layout and colour scheme.
While the whole setup seems to be a scam, downloading any file or even clicking on the link you receive could put your private data at risk. So make sure if you get a message that offers you free data, don’t click on the link to avail the offer as it is not an official website.
The website has been built using the free version of Weebly, which is a webpage building service. Furthermore, if you click on the link in the website to download the app, an unauthorized app going by the name Prime-Offer is downloaded from a Box.com server. This app tries to mimic the MyJio app but it crashes most of the times which only confirms our suspicions.
So, if you receive any such message that claims to offer you free internet data, be sure not to click on the link and ignore it completely. Jio hasn’t released any free data offers due to the COVID-19 outbreak yet, however, the telecom industry has seen a change in terms of tariff plan offerings with Vodafone and BSNL tweaking their plans.
The news comes as WhatsApp put a limit on the number of forwards a person could send in a day so as to curb the spread of misinformation around Coronavirus in India. As a result, the company revealed that it has witnessed over 70% reduction in the number of message forwards on its platform than before.
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