'Fake Video': PIB Fact Checks Digitally Altered Video Of Finance Minister Promoting Investment Scheme

The Press Information Bureau has issued a clarification after a video circulating on social media falsely claimed that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was endorsing a government-backed investment scheme.

In a post on X, PIB’s fact-checking unit stated, “A video claims that Union Finance Minister @nsitharaman is promoting a government project, which promises that an investment of Rs 21,000 can earn up to Rs 15 lakh per month.”

PIB went on to confirm that "this is a digitally altered #fake video".

The misleading video purportedly showed Sitharaman promoting a government scheme that promised unusually high returns, up to Rs 15 lakh per month, on an initial investment of Rs 21,000.

Clarifying further, PIB said, "No such scheme has been launched or endorsed by the Finance Minister or the Government of India. Don’t fall prey to any such suspicious investment claims! Stay vigilant. Verify information only through official sources before sharing."

Citizens need to exercise caution and verify the authenticity of such claims through legitimate government channels. Misinformation of this nature can mislead the public and potentially result in financial loss.

This clarification from the PIB regarding the fake video of the finance minister comes a day after the fact-checking unit flagged another misleading claim circulating on social media. A fabricated news article claimed that the Reserve Bank of India had issued new rules for exchanging old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. Addressing the misinformation, PIB stated that the claim was fake.

It further urged citizens to rely only on verified information and advised them to visit the RBI’s official website, https://rbi.org.in, for authentic updates on financial regulations and announcements.

PIB has also advised citizens to report any suspicious message, picture or video related to the central government directly to its fact-checking unit for verification. People can send such content to @PIBFactCheck on X, or reach out through WhatsApp at +91 8799711259 and email at factcheck@pib.gov.in. The PIB assured that it would provide the verified and accurate information to the public in response.