Fact Check: Phishing Link Being Circulated As Qatar Airways’ Anniversary Offer

New Delhi (Vishvas News): With the widespread use of mobile phones, many cases of cyber fraud are coming to light. Fraudsters attempt to lure people into their traps through enticing messages. One such message is currently being shared on various social media platforms. It claims that on the 28th anniversary of Qatar Airways, the airline is offering people a chance to win an amount of more than Rs 65,000 by answering questionnaires.

Vishvas News conducted an investigation and found that fake messages are being circulated in the name of Qatar Airways to deceive people. Qatar Airways had previously warned people about this fraudulent activity on its social media handles in June 2018. Cyber experts also advise against clicking on any such links.

What’s Going Viral?

A user sent this post to Vishvas News’ tip line number +91 95992 99372 and requested verification. The post features the Qatar Airways logo and reads, “Qatar Airways 28th Anniversary Transportation Subsidy! Through the questionnaire, you will have a chance to get 65,402.40.”

Facebook user Mohammed Haleem (archive link) also shared this message with a link on February 16.

Investigation

At first glance, the viral post appears suspicious because the accompanying link is not from the Qatar Airways website.

To investigate further, we searched on Google using relevant keywords. An official post on the Qatar Airways Facebook page, dated June 20, 2018, warned about a viral message claiming to offer travel tickets on the anniversary of the airlines. The post clarified that this is a phishing link and the messages are fake, intended to steal your data. Any legitimate information from Qatar Airways is released from its official domain, and the public is encouraged to report such fraud to Qatar Airways’ email.

Qatar Airways has also posted (archived link) on its official page.

Qatar Airways also cautions against online fraud on its website, stating that all official communications from the airline are sent from the company’s domain. Qatar Airways never charges for recruitment, requires a recruitment deposit, or asks candidates to pay visa fees.

According to the Center for Aviation website, Qatar Airways was established in 1993 and relaunched in 1997. Therefore, the company is more than 30 years old.

Kislay Chaudhary, founder of the Indian Cyber Army, notes that cybercriminals often attempt to deceive people with such enticing messages. Clicking on such links can lead to data theft and potential financial loss. Legitimate schemes are always communicated through official channels, such as the company’s website or social media handles.

We examined the Facebook profile of the user who shared the fake message and found that the user has 619 friends.

Conclusion: The message claiming to offer more than Rs 65,000 in the name of Qatar Airways is fake and is being circulated with phishing links. Clicking on these links can lead to data theft.

Tags

• scams