FACT CHECK: Can A Device As Shown In The Viral Video Take Money From Your FASTag?

The viral video shows a boy cleaning a car's windscreen and scanning his FASTag with a watch to wipe out money from the person's PayTM FASTag account.

Fastag Scam Fact Check: A video is circulating on social media that claims there is a new ‘FASTag scam’ where people cleaning cars at red lights can steal money from anyone’s PayTM FASTag with the help of smartwatch-like devices.

What is the claim?

A video has been circulating on WhatsApp groups and other social media platforms where a boy can be seen cleaning the windscreen of a car while two men are sitting inside recording him. The boy is also wearing a big smartwatch-like device on his wrist. While wiping the windscreen, the kid jumps to the middle, turns his wrist and scans the FASTag sticker of the car.

As the kid was leaving, the man in the driver’s seat asks why is he leaving without taking money for cleaning the car. He then tries to confront him asking, “Is this a watch on your wrist”. The boy senses that the man knows what the scam is so he runs away. The driver’s friend runs after the boy. When he can’t find the boy, he returns to car and the driver tells him how the ‘scam’ works.

The man tells his friend that these cleaners scan FASTag stickers of cars and then people get notifications on their phone of all the money being deducted from their PayTM FASTag account.

Watch the viral video here:

The following scripted video of the fake FASTag scam was posted on Facebook and has received more than 24 million views.

What is the truth behind the claim?

Replying to the tweets with the viral video, FASTag clarified that such a scam is not possible as the transaction can only be initiated by the registered merchants that is, Toll and Parking Plaza operators from their respective geo-locations. FASTag added in its statement that no unauthorised device can initiate any financial transactions on NETC FASTag and it is absolutely safe.

Hi, NETC FASTag transaction can only be initiated by the registered merchants (Toll & Parking Plaza operators) which are onboarded by NPCI only from the respective geo-locations. No unauthorized device can initiate any financial transactions on NETC FASTag. It is absolutely safe.
— FASTag NETC (@FASTag_NETC) June 19, 2022

FASTag later issued an official statement mentioning that the viral video is being taken from social media platforms.

2. No financial transactions can be initiated without all the pre-requisites mentioned in the image.
NPCI has already taken action to respond to these videos and delist them from the Social media platforms.@MORTHIndia @NHAI_Official @aitwa @airtelbank @aubankindia
— FASTag NETC (@FASTag_NETC) June 25, 2022

The official Twitter handle of the government’s ‘PIB Fact Check’ also tweeted about the fake scam. PIB wrote that such transactions are not possible and do not occur over open internet. “Each Toll Plaza has a unique code which is mapped with a particular bank and a geo-code. This combination is mapped on the National Electronic Toll Collection system,” the PIB statement said.

A #viral Video claims that devices like watches are being used to swipe the #Fastag on vehicles, leading to fraudulent deduction of money from prepaid wallets.#PIBFactCheck:
▶️ This Video is #FAKE
▶️ Such transactions are not possible
▶️ Each Toll Plaza has a unique code pic.twitter.com/n7p01AXF4A
— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) June 25, 2022

Conclusion:

Therefore, this claim made in a viral Video that devices like watches are being used to swipe the FASTag on vehicles, leading to fraudulent deduction of money from prepaid wallets is completely false.