Authors
A viral post claiming the TATA Group is celebrating its 150th anniversary, with a link to “participate in the event to win a car” is widely being shared on WhatsApp messenger.
Newschecker received twenty requests from users on its WhatsApp helpline number (+91 9999499044), to check the veracity of this message.
Similar posts also found their way to Facebook and Twitter. One such FB post read ‘participate in the survey and stand a chance to win a Tata Nexon EV.’
Though the URLs attached to the viral message differ from post to post, all of them were based on the same premise – a chance to ‘win a car on the occasion of 150th anniversary’
Fact Check/Verification
To investigate if the viral claim holds water, Newschecker began the verification by going through the official website of TATA Group.
The multinational conglomerate headquartered in Mumbai was founded by Jamshedji Tata in 1868 i.e. 153 years ago which indicates the viral claim is factually incorrect.
Further, we clicked on the link attached to the claim and found that it does not direct us to the official website of TATA Group.
The link opens a webpage where the text, “Congratulations! (…) Through the questionnaire, you will have a chance to get Tata Nexon EV,” is written on top of the page followed by a picture of a blue Nexon car.”
An archived link of a webpage shared along with the claim can be accessed here.
The “survey” as mentioned in the claim has four questions, answering which a congratulatory message pops up.
Following the instructions on the screen, we found a second pop-up, saying “You did it! You won Tata Nexon EV”
But to receive the price, one has to ‘share the claim on WhatsApp,’ giving clues as to why the message was widely shared on the messaging platform.
As social media users shared the ‘link to win a TATA motors car,’ throughout the day (October 01), the TATA group clarified the viral claim to be fake on their official Twitter handle. With the hashtag ‘fakenotsafe’, the company urged people to not click on the link.
Further, the Cyber Crimes Wing of Telangana State Police posted a warning message on Facebook, calling out the viral claim to be fake.
“If you open such links.. there is a chance that your data will be lost to cyber nerves”
Conclusion
TATA group did not invite people to take part in the 150th Anniversary event. The claim is Fabricated.
Result: Fabricated
Our Sources
TATA Group’s official website: https://www.tata.com/about-us
Tweet by the TATA Group: https://twitter.com/TataCompanies/status/1443813902131728384?s=20
Telangana State Police’s post on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dgptelangana/posts/3118578965080178
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