What are the red flags of this scam?

A WhatsApp message claims the government is giving all citizens a fixed cash amount for Diwali — the government never distributes welfare this way • A spin-the-wheel link claiming to be from Amazon or Flipkart is shared on WhatsApp — both companies never run prize campaigns via forwarded WhatsApp messages • Every spin on the page 'wins' a large prize (phone, laptop) on the first try — real prize wheels have many losing outcomes • The link asks you to forward the message to 20 contacts before you can 'claim' — this is a chain-letter technique to spread phishing links faster • The form asks for your bank card number, CVV, or UPI PIN to cover a small 'delivery fee' or 'processing charge' — real prize deliveries never ask for card details upfront • The URL is a lookalike — amazon-diwali-prize.in, modi-gift2026.com — not amazon.in or flipkart.com • The government scheme link asks for Aadhaar, mobile, and bank account number — real DBT schemes link your existing Aadhaar-seeded bank account automatically

What should I do if this happened to me?

Do not click any link in a WhatsApp message promising a government cash gift or brand prize — both are always fake • Do not share the link with contacts — forwarding spreads the phishing page and may expose your contacts to data theft • Check government welfare schemes only at india.gov.in or the official ministry website — never through WhatsApp • Check Amazon offers only at amazon.in or the Amazon Shopping app — never through forwarded WhatsApp links • If you entered your card details or UPI PIN: call your bank immediately to block the card and reverse any charges • Report the WhatsApp message using WhatsApp's 'Report' button, and report at Chakshu (sancharsaathi.gov.in/sfc/) to block the sender number • Report at https://cybercrime.gov.in or call 1930 (national cyber helpline).

MEDIUM phishing Last reported: 5 Nov 2026 Share

Diwali government cash or Amazon spin-the-wheel WhatsApp link — festive-season phishing

Q: Is this a scam?

Yes. This is a documented scam pattern. WhatsApp messages at Diwali or during Amazon/Flipkart festive sales claim a government cash gift (₹8,000–₹25,000) or brand spin-the-wheel prize. Clicking harvests personal data and collects a small delivery fee; no prize exists.

WhatsApp messages at Diwali or during Amazon/Flipkart festive sales claim a government cash gift (₹8,000–₹25,000) or brand spin-the-wheel prize. Clicking harvests personal data and collects a small delivery fee; no prize exists.

Also known as: fake Diwali government cash WhatsApp, Amazon spin the wheel WhatsApp scam, Flipkart prize WhatsApp link, PM Modi Diwali ₹8000 WhatsApp message, festive season WhatsApp prize link India, fake government Diwali benefit link, Amazon Great Indian Festival spin win scam

Already happened to you? Do this in the next few minutes

Call 1930 now

1 Call 1930 — the national cyber-crime helpline — right now. The sooner you report, the better the chance of freezing the money before it moves.
2 Call your bank to freeze the account and block the card immediately. Use the number printed on your card, never a number from the message or caller.
3 File a report at cybercrime.gov.in and keep every message, screenshot, and transaction ID.

What to do right now

1 Do not click any link in a WhatsApp message promising a government cash gift or brand prize — both are always fake
2 Do not share the link with contacts — forwarding spreads the phishing page and may expose your contacts to data theft
3 Check government welfare schemes only at india.gov.in or the official ministry website — never through WhatsApp
4 Check Amazon offers only at amazon.in or the Amazon Shopping app — never through forwarded WhatsApp links
5 If you entered your card details or UPI PIN: call your bank immediately to block the card and reverse any charges
6 Report the WhatsApp message using WhatsApp's 'Report' button, and report at Chakshu (sancharsaathi.gov.in/sfc/) to block the sender number
7 Report at https://cybercrime.gov.in or call 1930 (national cyber helpline).

Red flags

⚠ A WhatsApp message claims the government is giving all citizens a fixed cash amount for Diwali — the government never distributes welfare this way
⚠ A spin-the-wheel link claiming to be from Amazon or Flipkart is shared on WhatsApp — both companies never run prize campaigns via forwarded WhatsApp messages
⚠ Every spin on the page 'wins' a large prize (phone, laptop) on the first try — real prize wheels have many losing outcomes
⚠ The link asks you to forward the message to 20 contacts before you can 'claim' — this is a chain-letter technique to spread phishing links faster
⚠ The form asks for your bank card number, CVV, or UPI PIN to cover a small 'delivery fee' or 'processing charge' — real prize deliveries never ask for card details upfront
⚠ The URL is a lookalike — amazon-diwali-prize.in, modi-gift2026.com — not amazon.in or flipkart.com
⚠ The government scheme link asks for Aadhaar, mobile, and bank account number — real DBT schemes link your existing Aadhaar-seeded bank account automatically

Already happened to you? Do this in the next few minutes

What to do right now

Red flags

Sources