Several videos showing public-service-announcements by the Mumbai Police on July 10, 2020, warning people not to answer calls from phone numbers beginning with '140', have gone viral on WhatsApp and social media.
These announcements by the police were made in response to a publicity stunt by SonyLIV - an online streaming service -for its upcoming show Undekhi where it cold called people on the morning of July 10, 2020, with a recorded message about witnessing a murder. The calls were made from a number beginning with 140 - a code commonly used by telemarketers in India.
Also Read: How SonyLIV's PR Stunt Created Panic And Fake News
SonyLiv faced a backlash online after several Twitter users reported the calls to Mumbai Police. The streaming platform issued an apology in which it claimed a test activity that had gone out accidentally.
If you have received a call for our show Undekhi & it has disturbed you we would like to sincerely apologise to you. This was a test activity which has gone out accidentally & our intention was not to cause any kind of discomfort or panic. We sincerely regret any inconvenience.
— SonyLIV (@SonyLIV) July 10, 2020
However, the damage had already been done, with several WhatsApp messages warning that calls starting with the digits '140' should not be answered.
Viral clips
Following this, several Mumbai Police teams on patrol made announcements advising people not to answer calls from numbers which started with digits '140'.
It is not clear why but in some instances the policemen falsely claimed that a person's bank account would be emptied out if such a phone call was answered.
Video 1:
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Video 2:
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Video 3:
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Police clarification on the announcements made
BOOM earlier reached out to Harish Baijal, DIG, Cyber Security Maharashtra Police, who had confirmed that after complaints against the SonyLIV promotional calls, police mobile vans patrolling made the announcements seen in the viral clips.
"After the promotional calls by SonyLIV, many police mobiles on patrolling made announcements that the call is fake. The department has also issued an advisory about money being wiped out from your account clips which are viral," Baijal had then told BOOM.
There is a video clip doing the rounds on social media of a police constable telling people not to accept calls from numbers starting with +140.
— Maharashtra Cyber (@MahaCyber1) July 10, 2020
We would like to clarify that numbers starting with +140 are telemarketing calls. (1/n)
The Maharashtra Cyber Police had also tweeted clarifying on the viral clips of constables. The cyber police had stated that there is no fact behind it as long as one does not reveal their bank account details, OTP or credit card / debit card number.
कोणतेही तथ्य नसून जोपर्यंत आपण, बँक अकाउंट डिटेल्स, ओटीपी अथवा क्रेडिट कार्ड / डेबिट कार्ड चे पूर्ण नंबर तसेच सी. व्ही. व्ही./ पिन नंबर शेअर करीत नाही तोपर्यंत आपल्या बँक खात्याला कसलेही नुकसान होऊ शकत नाही हे लक्षात घ्यावे. (2/n)
— Maharashtra Cyber (@MahaCyber1) July 11, 2020
Maharashtra DIG Cyber Harish Baijal on '140' number calls: