New Delhi, July 20 -- The Press Information Bureau's (PIB) Fact Check unit on Sunday reiterated that a viral WhatsApp message claiming the Government of India is accepting applications for free laptops under the so-called 'National Student Laptop Scheme 2026' is completely false.

The agency cautioned that fraudsters commonly use such messages to collect sensitive information, including personal and financial information.

In a post dated 19 July, PIB warned that no such scheme has been announced and cautioned users against sharing unverified links that could be used to harvest personal and financial data.

The post said, "A WhatsApp message is circulating claiming that the Government is accepting applications for free laptops under the '...