ISLAMABAD: A website claiming to offer free laptops to Pakistani students is being widely circulated on WhatsApp and other social media platforms, but the offer has been found to be fake and linked to an online fraud scheme.
The viral link directs users to a website titled “Free Laptop for Students 2026,” where visitors are told they can apply for a free laptop.
The website asks applicants to provide personal information, including their full name, educational level and preferred laptop brand.
How the Scam Works
When the website was tested using fictitious information, it immediately displayed a message claiming that the application had been approved.
However, before users could supposedly proceed with receiving a laptop, they were instructed to share the link with multiple WhatsApp contacts or groups.
Cybersecurity experts identify such forced sharing mechanisms as a common tactic used to spread suspicious links and potentially facilitate phishing and online fraud.
The website has also been flagged as false information by Facebook. Previous fact-checks conducted in Sri Lanka and Nigeria regarding the same website similarly found the offer to be fraudulent.
What Did NCCIA Say?
A spokesperson for Pakistan’s National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) also reviewed the website and said it contained features commonly associated with online phishing schemes.
The agency warned citizens against providing personal or financial information on unverified websites.
Verdict
The viral website claiming to provide free laptops to students has no connection with any verified laptop scheme. It is a fraudulent website that uses the promise of free laptops to collect users’ information and encourage them to distribute the suspicious link further.
Students and other internet users are advised not to enter personal, educational or financial information on the website and not to forward the link to contacts or WhatsApp groups.