Claim
Videos show police warning people not to answer calls from phone numbers beginning with '140' otherwise their bank account will get hacked.
Fact
BOOM found that the announcements being made by the Mumbai police in the viral videos were in response to a publicity stunt by SonyLIV - an online streaming service -for its show 'Undekhi'. SonyLiv in July 2020 had cold called people 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. SonyLiv had then faced backlash online after several Twitter users reported the calls to Mumbai Police. The streaming platform had then issued an apology and claimed it was a test activity that had gone out accidentally. BOOM had then 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. The cyber police had also stated that there is no fact behind the viral claim as long as one does not reveal their bank account details, OTP or credit card / debit card number. BOOM has previously debunked the same claim when it was being shared in July 2020.