WhatsApp has brought a huge revolution in the sector of instant messaging: the times when we had to count our SMS characters and pay for each one of them we send are over. Now, all we need is an Internet connection and we can be connected to our friends all day and night long, send text, audio, pictures, and videos, and even make free video calls.
On the other hand, WhatsApp has also made users more vulnerable to a lot of scams: coming up with scams and spreading them throughout the population has become a lot easier thanks to WhatsApp and the attempted frauds that used WhatsApp as a means have become countless. One of these scams recently involved the famous KBC lottery. Many are wondering whether or not there is the KBC company itself behind that WhatsApp scams lottery.
In this article, we’re going behind the scenes to understand what the scam is about and whether or not there’s KBC behind it.
What is the KBC lottery?
If we want to understand the full situation we need to proceed in order. What is the KBC lottery and how does it work?
Every user that activates a SIM with an Indian Mobile network company can enter the lottery. The main Indian mobile networks that allow users to participate are Airtel, Idea, and Vodafone.
The chances of winning the lottery can be raised by making sure you have enough credit on your SIm every month.
Every month the winner of the lottery is announced (on the first or second of the month).
The winners are identified with their names and phone number. The lottery uses the lottery software WhatsApp to handle the numbers and tickets, that’s why when it comes to KBC, WhatsApp numbers are always related. This is also why a WhatsApp lottery scam is been so successful: since users know that KBC is related to WhatsApp and to their phone number, they are not suspicious when they receive a WhatsApp message informing them that they are the winners.
Furthermore, the KBC team provides a WhatsApp number to provide customer support to the users. This also can bring some confusion to the users that receive the fake message.
WhatsApp lottery number: what’s happening?
So, what’s happening. People all around the world (with an Indian SIM Card) are receiving messages on their WhatsApp informing them that they have won 25 lakh. If you have received a similar message, just pay no attention to it and block the number: it’s a scam.
WhatsApp lottery 25 lakh: How does the scam work?
The Whatsapp message, whether it is a text message or an audio mail, informs people that they have won the lottery and, in particular, that they have won 25 lakh. Some of these messages also speak about a trial on a cashback paying method that Whatsapp is supposed to be running.
Then, they ask the user to send 25 lakh to an account with the promise that they’ll be soon refunded with the addition of the 25 lakh they won.
This is completely fake and it’s only a way of stealing that 25 lakh from the users who truly believe they have won the lottery.
And what about the WhatsApp group link lottery?
There is also another version of the KBC WhatsApp lottery scam. In some cases, after saying that the user has won a lot of money, a link is provided. The user is invited to click on the link to receive their award. That link is, however, in most cases dangerous. It leads to data leaks, sometimes involving the credentials, name, and phone number of the user.
If you received such a message including the link, avoid clicking on it and, even more importantly, do not share it!
Kbc WhatsApp lottery: is KBS behind those scams?
A lot of checks have been made and it has been discovered that the viral KBC Whatsapp lottery messages aren’t from KBC at all. The messages are from criminals that are trying to exploit the Kbc name in order to convince people to send them money.
KBC WhatsApp lottery: does the lottery actually use WhatsApp?
What we’ve said so far doesn’t mean that any Whatsapp speaking about the lottery is a fake. The KBC lottery uses WhatsApp numbers, along with lottery numbers, to identify the winner. If you receive a message, you may have won for real! Before you answer any of them or click on the provided link, always check the KBC official website to make sure you’ve actually won.
Other than the WhatsApp scam: phone calls
The fraud can happen even by phone. Users have reported a number calling and the KBC logo appearing. The person on the phone would inform them that they win the lottery and ask them to provide data. Again, always check the main KBC official website to make sure your name is among the winners.
KBC: the lottery 2024
So, we’ve discussed so far about scams, but what about the real lottery?
The KBC lottery is an actual contest where users can win 25 lakh and other prizes. There are WhatsApp services that can let you know if you won, but the only official way to know that you are the winner is to check on the official website of KBC. Within the website, you can check on the KBC Lottery Number Check Online portal.
Here, you can enter your lottery number and your phone number; then click enter.
The system will check the platform’s database and let you know if you are the winner and can live for real the famous kilukkam lottery scene.
Conclusion: is the KBC lottery a scam?
Not at all! The KBC lottery is not a scam but a real lottery. All Indian SIM card users can participate in the lottery together with their ticket number. The only way to make sure you’ve actually won the lottery is the official website, even though there are some services that could facilitate things. In any case, before providing your data or clicking any link, visit the KBC official website, enter your phone number and ticket number and run a quick check.
There are WhatsApp scams that are exploiting the KBC lottery name to steal data or money from users: these are the ones you should stay away from. How can you protect yourself from such scams?
First of all, knowledge is a good defense: now that you know that scams exist, you are less vulnerable to them.
Second, once again we recommend always checking the KBC official website before providing data, sending money, or clicking links.