Fact-check: Students laptop scheme 2024 WhatsApp message is fake

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A viral WhatsApp message asking you to apply for Students Laptop Scheme 2024 is a scam; there is no official announcement or information from any government or educational authority about such a scheme.

Writer: Makur Majeng

A viral WhatsApp message claiming to offer students free laptops through the “Students Laptop Scheme 2024” is a hoax.

“The Applications for the Students Laptop Scheme 2024 is Available,” reads the WhatsApp message headline widely shared in private chats and WhatsApp groups.

The message directs recipients to a website where they are asked to enter personal information and share the link with friends and groups on WhatsApp before receiving a confirmation SMS.

A screenshot of the WhatsApp message

Upon clicking the link in the WhatsApp message, the website prompts users to meet specific age requirements and literacy abilities, then requests personal information such as full name, educational level, preferred laptop brand, and age range. 

It poses a mathematical problem verifying age, which is not a standard procedure for legitimate government programs.

Screenshots of the web pages of the purported website

After this, the website falsely claims the application has been approved and instructs applicants to share the information with friends or groups on WhatsApp before validating their application. This is a common tactic used in phishing scams to spread false information and gather additional personal data from unsuspecting individuals.

Screenshots of the web pages of the purported website

Screenshots of the web pages of the purported website

Claim Verification:

Search engine results on Microsoft Bing for “Students Laptop Scheme 2024” return about the “Laptop Sahay Yojana 2024”, a scheme by the Indian state government that offers financial aid of Rs. 40,000 to each chosen student to purchase a laptop.

No official announcements or government communications about a particular “Students Laptop Scheme 2024” indicate that this scheme is non-existent.

A VirusTotal analysis identifies this website as a phishing scam, a tool used to verify the authenticity of the website.

A whois domain search shows that the website was registered on January 9, 2023, and will expire on January 9, 2024.

Screenshot of the domain Whois information

The website linked in the message prompts users to enter personal information, a red flag, as legitimate government application processes are typically conducted through official channels.

Conclusion:

211 Check has found out that the viral WhatsApp message claiming to offer free laptops to students through a government scheme for 2024 is a hoax. There is no legitimate information or official announcement about such a scheme, and the website linked in the message is likely a ploy to collect personal information fraudulently.

A publication under 211 Check’s ‘Fact-Check for a Pay’ Initiative with support from the International Fact-Checking Network through the BUILD grant.

To ensure accuracy and transparency, we at 211 Check welcome corrections from our readers. If you spot an error in this article, please request a correction using this form. Our team will review your request and make the necessary corrections immediately, if any.

It’s vital to fight misinformation and disinformation in the media by avoiding fake news. Don’t share content you’re uncertain about. False information can harm and mislead people, risking their lives—Fact-check before sharing. For more details, visit https://211check.org/ or message us on WhatsApp at +211 917 298 255. #FactsMatter

86 replies
  16. Firoz Mohan Suhula
    Firoz Mohan Suhula says:

    I am very grateful to git it .I am from odisha, sambalpur at class 10 .if I got it ,it will help me alots me in study .

    Reply
  23. Karan
    Karan says:

    I need a laptop for my education and get a better result in +20 it will help me a lot to make my future bright…

    Reply
  24. Karan
    Karan says:

    I need a laptop for my education and get a better result in +2 it will help me a lot to make my future bright…

    Reply

    Reply
  35. Ishant Kumar
    Ishant Kumar says:

    Sir please give me a laptop for study 🙏
    My age is 17 years old.and I am study in
    +1 class. I have not enough money to buy a new laptop for study. So please give me a laptop for study as soon as possible. I situated in Shahid Babu labh singh nagar near raghunath mandir, house no 617/12, sector 17. Please accept my request 🙏.

    Reply
  45. Omar Bahig
    Omar Bahig says:

    I will need a laptop for my studies as a student and this will help me with my creative media studies as it be easier for me to do on a laptop
    Thank you for listen to me

    Reply
  48. APP Fraud and Scam Compensation
    APP Fraud and Scam Compensation says:

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  52. Nurnabi khan
    Nurnabi khan says:

    Can you give me a laptop please for my study? My family don’t have enough money for but me a new laptop, please! 😔

    Reply

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