NT Verdict
Misleading
'New ATM skimmer technique' forward is a recycled 3-year-old hoax
Original WhatsApp forward
Family Group 🏠
Forwarded many times
A new method lets fraudsters steal your card data just by holding a phone near an ATM
Shared with 540K people across groups
The Claim Being Checked
“A new method lets fraudsters steal your card data just by holding a phone near an ATM”
What NT Found
The WhatsApp forward, shared in hundreds of family groups, claimed criminals can clone your ATM card by standing near you with a phone. RBI's cybersecurity advisory from December 2023 explicitly addressed this claim. The NFC/skimming technique described requires physical card contact and does not work as described.
NT Verdict
Misleading
RBI's 2023 advisory addresses the same claim — the described technique is not technically possible.
How We Verified This
Step 1 — Detection
Content flagged after crossing 2.1M views on WhatsApp on Apr 26, 2026. NT's monitoring system triggered a verification queue entry. Assigned to NT Fact Desk.
Evidence 1
RBI Cybersecurity Advisory (Dec 2023) states NFC skimming cannot clone EMV chip data
Evidence 2
The 'forward' text matches word-for-word a hoax that circulated in 2021 and 2023
Evidence 3
NPCI confirmed EMV chip cards are technically immune to the described attack
Evidence 4
Cybersecurity expert at IIT Delhi confirmed the technique described is not feasible
Final Verdict
Misleading — RBI's 2023 advisory addresses the same claim — the described technique is not technically possible.
Sources Consulted
3 sourcesRBI Cybersecurity Advisory, Dec 2023
official
NPCI official statement
official
IIT Delhi Cybersecurity Lab
expert
How we verified this: NT's fact-checkers use reverse image/video search, EXIF metadata analysis, official records, direct source outreach, and where relevant, AI-detection tools. All verdicts undergo two-editor review before publication. Corrections published within 24 hours. Read our full methodology →
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