Mobile Recharge Offer Scam
A message offers free recharge, extra validity or big cashback if you pay through a link. The link takes your money or card details.
Recharge offers are common, so a text saying that you can get three months of free validity or a large data pack for a small payment seems normal. The link behind it, though, is a fake page or a payment request. Real offers from your operator appear in its own app and on its own website, and they never ask for your UPI PIN or OTP.
How the scam works
The scammer sends a message with the name of a mobile operator or a payment app, offering a free recharge, a festival pack or a loyalty reward. The text uses a short link and a line such as 'valid for today only'. Some versions come in WhatsApp groups with a forwarded message that says 'share with five friends to unlock', which spreads the scam.
The link opens a page that asks for your mobile number, then your UPI ID or card details to pay a small 'activation fee'. After you enter these, a collect request arrives or the page shows a payment screen. Pages may also ask for your net banking login or an OTP, on the claim that they need to verify your number.
The activation fee is only the first charge. The details you entered are used to take larger amounts, or the page leads to an app download that reads your SMS and OTPs. The scammer gains money from the fee and your account, and may also use your forwarding of the message to bring more people to the same page.
An example of what you may see
Example only: 'Great news! Get 84 days free recharge on your number. Pay just Rs 9 as an activation fee at the link below. Offer valid only till midnight. Forward this message to 5 WhatsApp groups to unlock your bonus. Enter your UPI ID and approve the request to claim.' The link is not on your operator's own website. The offer does not appear in your operator's own app, and the link ends with a random string, not a company name.
This example is written for illustration. Real messages change their wording, names and links all the time.
Red flags
- A free recharge needs a payment or fee first.
- A forward-to-five-groups step is part of the offer.
- The page asks for UPI ID, card details or OTP.
- A midnight deadline or limited users is mentioned.
- The link is shortened or has a strange domain name.
- The offer is not visible in your operator's own app.
What to do right now
- Do not tap the link or forward the message.
- Check offers in your operator's own app or on its website typed by hand.
- Never enter a UPI PIN or OTP for a free offer.
- Delete the message and block the sender.
- Report the message on the Sanchar Saathi portal.
If you already paid or shared a code
- Call 1930 immediately with the transaction details.
- Tell your bank through the number on your card or passbook.
- Report at https://cybercrime.gov.in with the message and the page screenshots.
- Uninstall any app you downloaded from the link and change your banking passwords.
National Cyber Crime Helpline: 1930. Report online at cybercrime.gov.in. Do it fast: the sooner your bank is told, the better the chance that money can be held.
Where this scam shows up
Read how it looks on each channel:
How Safeavio helps
Safeavio's link check can review the offer link before you open it for lookalike domains, shortened links and risky patterns, and the scam check shows why the message looks like a pressure tactic with a money demand. It cannot see your operator's offers, so check them in the official app before you pay anything. It cannot see operator offers. Check your operator app.
Check it before you tap or pay
Safeavio Sentinel is a made-in-India Android app: paste a message or link, or scan a QR code, and get a plain verdict with the reasons. It helps you spot a scam; it does not promise to stop every one.
Download for AndroidWhat the app does
Google Play listing: coming soon. Today the signed APK is on safeavio.com/download. Android 7.0 or later.
Questions people ask
Can I get free recharge by sharing a message?
No genuine operator asks you to forward a message to unlock a recharge. Forward chains are a way for scammers to spread a fake offer. Check offers in your operator's own app, and do not share the message.
Why is there a small fee for a free offer?
The fee is how the scammer gets your payment details. A free offer that asks for money is not free, and a PIN or OTP at that point can lead to larger deductions from your account.
How can I check my real offers?
Open your operator's official app or website, typed by hand, and look in its offers or recharge section. If you need help, use the number printed on your bill or the official app's support option.