#FactCheck- Viral ‘Modi Massage Video’ Claim False, Features Content Creators
Executive Summary
A video showing a woman giving a facial massage to an elderly man with a white beard is going viral on social media, with users claiming that the man is Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Some posts describe it as a “leaked massage video” of the Prime Minister, while others sarcastically link it to the glow on his face. However, research by the CyberPeace Research Wing found that the claim is false. The viral video has no connection to Narendra Modi and is being shared with a misleading narrative.
Claim
An X user named Sonu Singh shared the video with the caption: “Narendra Modi video leaked.”
Fact Check
To verify the claim, we extracted keyframes from the viral video and conducted a reverse image search. This led us to the same video uploaded on April 12, 2026, on the Instagram and Facebook pages of content creator Pradeep Kaur Dhillon, where it was captioned “Massage time.”
Further checks revealed another similar video posted on March 28, 2026, on the same social media accounts, with the caption: “Stylish, Spa day for him… kyunki self-care sirf ladies layi nahi.”
During the research, we also found that the man seen in the video is Jaspal Singh, Dhillon’s partner, who frequently appears in her social media posts. According to publicly available profile details, the duo resides in New Jersey, USA, and originally belongs to Amritsar, Punjab, India.
Conclusion
The viral claim is false. The video does not show Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It features content creators Pradeep Kaur Dhillon and Jaspal Singh and is being circulated online with a false and misleading claim.
Related Blogs
Executive Summary
A video showing children crouching as the ground shakes violently is being widely shared on social media with the claim that it shows the aftermath of a devastating 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck Colombia on August 10, 2026. However, the CyberPeace Research Wing found that the video is not from Colombia. The footage was recorded in the Philippines two months earlier during a more powerful earthquake.
Claim
An X user shared the video on August 10, 2026, claiming that it showed a massive 7.4-magnitude earthquake in Colombia that killed hundreds of people and destroyed thousands of homes. “Massive 7.4 magnitude earthquake in Colombia! Hundreds dead, thousands of homes destroyed,” the post claimed.
https://x.com/anandsh04294243/status/2086911617938362779
Fact Check
To verify the claim, the Desk conducted a reverse image search of keyframes from the viral video. The search led to the same footage being shared on social media on June 8, where it was linked to a powerful earthquake in the southern Philippines. The posts identified the footage as being related to a 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck the region, causing buildings to collapse, triggering landslides and prompting tsunami warnings.
https://x.com/WeatherMonitors/status/2063855713223635055
Further research found that the video was recorded at Tubalan Elementary School in Malita, Davao Occidental province, Philippines.
According to the edit history of the Facebook post, the user initially stated that the footage showed the first day of school at Tubalan Elementary School. The user later updated the caption, urging viewers not to blame the teachers. The updated post stated that the students were outside near the school’s basketball court when the earthquake struck and were subsequently evacuated to safety without any injuries. The school also issued a separate post on Facebook to address what it described as a misconception arising from the video circulating on social media. The school clarified that the outdoor gymnasium was not being used as an evacuation area after the earthquake. It said the students were already inside the gymnasium for the scheduled flag ceremony when the earthquake occurred.
The Desk also searched for reports about the earthquake and found a detailed report published by Barron's, which confirmed the occurrence of a major earthquake off the southern Philippines. The report also mentioned casualties and tsunami warnings following the quake. https://www.barrons.com/news/major-quake-off-philippines-kills-one-triggers-tsunami-warnings-665c527c
Conclusion
The viral video does not show a 7.4-magnitude earthquake in Colombia. The footage was recorded at Tubalan Elementary School in the Philippines and was shared online in June 2026 in connection with a powerful earthquake that struck the southern Philippines. Therefore, the claim that the video shows the August 10, 2026 earthquake in Colombia is false.
Introduction
With mobile phones at the centre of our working and personal lives, the SIM card, which was once just a plain chip that links phones with networks, has turned into a vital component of our online identity, SIM cloning has become a sneaky but powerful cyber-attack, where attackers are able to subvert multi-factor authentication (MFA), intercept sensitive messages, and empty bank accounts, frequently without the victim's immediate awareness. As threat actors are becoming more sophisticated, knowing the process, effects, and prevention of SIM cloning is essential for security professionals, telecom operators, and individuals alike.
Understanding SIM Cloning
SIM cloning is the act of making an exact copy of a victim's original SIM card. After cloning, the attacker's phone acts like the victim's, receiving calls, messages, and OTPs. This allows for a variety of cybercrimes, ranging from unauthorised financial transactions to social media account hijacking. The attacker virtually impersonates the victim, often leading to disastrous outcomes.
The cloning can be executed through various means:
● Phishing or Social Engineering: The attack compels the victim or a mobile carrier into divulging personal information or requesting a replacement SIM.
● SIM Swap Requests: Attackers use fake IDs or stolen credentials to make telecom providers port the victim's number to a new SIM.
● SS7 Protocol Exploitation: Certain sophisticated attacks target weaknesses in the Signalling System No. 7 (SS7) protocol employed by cellular networks to communicate.
● Hardware based SIM Cloning: Although uncommon, experienced attackers will clone SIMs through the use of specialized hardware and malware that steals authentication keys.
The Real-World Consequences
The harm inflicted by SIM cloning is systemic as well as personal. The victims are deprived of their phones and online accounts, realising the breach only when improper dealings or login attempts have occurred. The FBI reported over $50 million loss in 2023 from crimes associated with SIM, most of which involved cryptocurrency account and high net-worth persons.
Closer to home, Indian entrepreneurs, journalists, and fintech users have reported losing access to their numbers, only to have their WhatsApp, UPI, and banking apps taken over. In a few instances, the attackers even contacted contacts, posing as the victim to scam others.
Why the Threat Is Growing
Dependence on SMS-based OTPs is still a core vulnerability. Even as there are attempts to move towards app-based two-factor authentication (2FA), most banking, government, and e-commerce websites continue to employ SMS as their main authentication method. This reliance provides an entry point for attackers who can replicate a SIM and obtain OTPs without detection.
Vulnerabilities in telecom infrastructure are also a part of the issue. Insider attacks at telecom operators, where malicious employees handle fraud SIM swap requests, also keep cropping up. On top of that, most users are not even aware of what exactly SIM cloning is or how to identify it, leaving attackers with a head start.
Very often, the victims are only aware that their SIM has been cloned when they lose mobile service or notice unusual activity on their accounts. Red flags include loss of signal, failure to send or receive messages, and inability to receive OTPs. Alerts on password changes or unusual login attempts must never be taken lightly, particularly if this is coupled with loss of mobile service.
How Users Can Protect Themselves
● Use A Strong SIM Pin: This protects your SIM from access by unauthorized users should your phone be lost or stolen.
● Secure Personal Information: Don't post sensitive personal information online that can have a place in social engineering.
● Notify your Carrier of Suspicious Activity: If your phone suddenly has lost service or is behaving strangely, contact your mobile operator immediately.
● Register for Telecom Alerts: Many providers offer alerts to SIM swap or porting requests that are useful to preliminarily detect a possible takeover.
● Verify SIM card status using Sanchar Saathi: Visit [https://sancharsaathi.gov.in](https://sancharsaathi.gov.in) to check how many mobile numbers are issued using your ID. This government portal allows you to identify unauthorized or unknown SIM cards, helping prevent SIM swapping fraud. You can also request to block suspicious numbers linked to your identity.
Conclusion
SIM cloning is not a retrograde nod to vintage cybercrime; it's an effective method of exploitation, especially where there's a strong presence of SMS-based authentication. The attack vector is simple, but the damage it causes can be profound, both financial and reputational. With telecommunication networks forming the backbone of digital identity, users, regulators, and telecom service providers have to move in tandem. For the users, awareness is the best protection. For Telecoms, security must be a baseline requirement, not a value-add option. It's time to redefine mobile security, before your identity is in anyone else's hands.
References
● https://www.trai.gov.in/faqcategory/mobile-number-portability
● https://www.cert-in.org.in/PDF/Digital_Threat_Report_2024.pdf
● https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2022/PSA220208/
● https://www.hdfcbank.com/personal/useful-links/security/beware-of-fraud/sim-swap
● https://security-gen.com/SecurityGen-Article-Cloning-SimCard.pdf
● https://www.p1sec.com/blog/understanding-ss7-attacks-vulnerabilities-impacts-and-protection-measures
Executive Summary
A video is being shared on social media showing several people attempting to rescue a young man trapped under a pile of soil and debris. The video is being shared as footage of the recent floods in Nepal. A research done by the Research Wing of the CyberPeace found the viral claim to be misleading. The research revealed that the video dates back to March 2026 and has no connection with the floods in Nepal. The video is actually from an incident in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, and is being falsely shared as recent footage of the devastation caused by the floods in Nepal.
Claim:
On Facebook, a user shared the viral video with the caption: “These scenes are horrifying. The floods in Nepal have claimed countless lives, but there are also people who are still fighting for their lives even 24 hours after the floodwaters have receded. Seeing this person sends chills down the spine.” The archived post link and screenshot are provided below.
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1104511315422755
FactCheck
To verify the authenticity of the viral claim, we first extracted keyframes from the video and conducted a reverse image search using Google Lens. During the search, we found the same video uploaded on the YouTube account ‘Prayagraj Live 24’ on March 24, 2026.
According to the video description, the footage shows the relief and rescue operation carried out following an accident at a cold storage facility in Phaphamau, Prayagraj. The report link and screenshot are provided below.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/D6ADJzxZUGQ
Based on the clue obtained from YouTube, we conducted a Google search using relevant keywords. During the search, we found a report published on the Dainik Bhaskar website on March 24, 2026, which featured the same visuals seen in the viral video. The report link and screenshot are provided below.
According to a report by Dainik Bhaskar, a major accident occurred at Adarsh Cold Storage in the Phaphamau police station area of Prayagraj on March 23, 2026. At around 1:30 pm, an ammonia gas chamber used for cooling at the cold storage exploded, causing the building’s walls and roof to collapse. Several workers were trapped under the debris in the accident.
Conclusion
Our research found that the viral video dates back to March 2026 and has no connection with the floods in Nepal. The video is actually from an incident in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, and is being falsely shared on social media as recent footage of the devastation caused by the floods in Nepal.
