Fake approval messages are being sent on WhatsApp in the name of MUDRA loan. The government has warned people not to share information like Aadhaar, PAN and OTP. Know how to avoid this scam.
If you have recently applied for a loan under Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana (PMMY) and suddenly a message comes on your WhatsApp that your loan has been approved, then be careful. This message may be part of a fraud rather than being genuine. these days Cyber fraudsters are using WhatsApp to target people in the name of MUDRA loan. Fraudsters first assure people of loan approval and then ask them to send Aadhaar Card, PAN Card and other important documents.
The government has alerted people about one such fake message. PIB clarified on 2 September 2026 that such messages being sent through social media platforms in the name of MUDRA Loan Approval are fake. People have been advised not to trust such messages and not to share their personal information with any unknown person.
This is how people are being trapped in scams.
In this type of scam, first of all the user is assured that his loan has been approved. After this, documents are asked from him. In many cases, in such scams, money can also be demanded in the name of Processing Fee, Registration Fee or any other charge. That is, it starts with a normal WhatsApp message, but gradually fraudsters can try to obtain personal information and money from the user. An even bigger problem is that nowadays attempts are made to make the message appear genuine by using fake websites and fake government names or logos. This can make it difficult for a common user to differentiate between real and fake messages.
Why is it dangerous to share Aadhaar-PAN?
Documents like Aadhaar and PAN contain your important information. Therefore, sending them to an unknown person, WhatsApp number or suspicious email can be risky. If someone is asking you for these documents just on the basis of WhatsApp message, then first find out whether he is actually associated with an authorized bank or financial institution or not. The safest way is to directly contact the bank or authorized lending institution from where you have applied for loan related information.
Do not make the mistake of giving OTP at all
If someone sends you a MUDRA Loan Approval message on WhatsApp asking for OTP, do not share it under any circumstances. OTP contains important security information in banking and many online services. Cyber fraudsters often try to obtain OTP under some pretext. Therefore, whether the other person calls himself a bank officer, loan agent or a person associated with any government institution, avoid sharing OTP.
