Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
“In giving, you receive” is a familiar expression of generosity, one that has found meaning after the devastation caused by the August 26 Bhotekoshi floods in Nepal. But as people look to support those affected, some social media accounts are attempting to tap into that goodwill by seeking money in the name of flood relief.
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India Today Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) examination of more than 20 Instagram and Facebook accounts soliciting donations found that 15 began posting only after the floods. Eleven of those accounts were created in August 2026, while some older profiles had changed their usernames to appear like established relief pages.
The pattern was consistent, accounts carried names such as “Nepal Aid”, “Nepal Donation” and “Nepal Help”. Most had single-digit post counts and no visible posting history before the disaster. Their appeals commonly paired flood videos with UPI QR codes requesting donations.
Those QR codes led to individual accounts. Every QR code checked by the OSINT team was registered in a person’s name, rather than in the name of an organisation.
Some of the pages also used AI-generated images and videos. In one instance, old footage of flooding in Assam was posted as though it showed the situation in Nepal.
India Today attempted to contact a few account operators whose phone numbers were publicly available. Three calls connected, while the remaining numbers were unreachable.
One operator running an account in the name of “Nepal Help” said he was from Rajasthan but declined to provide further details about himself or the relief work he claimed to be carrying out. When asked how donations were being used or routed to affected people, he gave no clear answer. The page had shared a video of Indian aircraft delivering aid to Nepal, appealing for money with the caption: “Your small contribution can help the people of Nepal get access to food.”
Another operator said he was Indian, lived in Nepal and was helping flood-hit people alongside local residents. When asked for individual details, he shared them without hesitation. His account did not display the same evasiveness encountered with some of the other operators.
An account that was deleted shortly after it was identified by the OSINT team was created in February 2024 and had changed its username 14 times. It also used the name of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) in its donation appeal. New accounts, renamed older profiles, minimal post history and personal QR codes, matches known markers of fake fundraising pages.
Nepal’s government has separately warned people not to send relief donations through unauthorised QR codes or personal bank accounts.
Nepal’s Prime Minister’s Office has publicly warned against unauthorised QR codes and personal account numbers being used to collect flood relief money. In a press release, PMO spokesperson Hemraj Aryal said the office’s “serious attention” had been drawn to individuals, groups and organisations raising funds without authorisation after the Bhotekoshi flood in Rasuwa.
“To ensure the transparent use and proper management of assistance received during this difficult disaster situation, and to prevent possible financial fraud, people are sincerely requested to contribute only through the official bank account number and QR code published by the government. Before making a contribution, donors should confirm that the account is registered under PRIME MINISTER DISASTER RELIEF FUND, DISASTER RELIEF FUND, or PDPU,” Aryal said.
As of Monday evening, several of the flagged pages remained active, and it was unclear how much money, if any, had been transferred through the personal QR codes.
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
