How to check if a WhatsApp forward is true: the best fact-check tools in India (2026)

To check a WhatsApp forward in India, send it to a fact-checker's WhatsApp tipline such as BOOM, Factly or Vishvas News, or to PIB Fact Check if it is about the central government. Use Google Lens to see where else a photo has appeared. Pick ForwardCheck if you have an invite and want a sourced report in English or Hindi.

Quick picks

• Best for most forwards: a fact-checker's WhatsApp tipline (BOOM, Factly, Vishvas News or Alt News) — human fact-checkers who publish their evidence.
• Best for central government claims: PIB Fact Check — the government's own unit, for Government of India matters only.
• Best for suspected deepfakes: the Deepfakes Analysis Unit tipline — it focuses on manipulated audio and video.
• Best for old photos shared as new: Google Lens — search with a photo or screenshot.
• Best for already-debunked claims: Google Fact Check Explorer — it searches published fact checks by words or image.
• Best for a plain-language reply to the family group: ForwardCheck — English or Hindi, every source linked, but new checks are invite-only.

Comparison: ways to check a WhatsApp forward

How do I check if a WhatsApp forward is true myself?

You can check most WhatsApp forwards yourself with free tools: pin down the claim, look for an existing fact check, reverse-search any image, and confirm with the original source. If you are still unsure, ask a fact-checker and don't forward it meanwhile.

1. Pause. Urgent wording ("share before it's deleted"), strong anger or fear, and no named source are signs a forward needs checking.
2. Write the claim in one line: who did what, where and when. Forwards often mix a true detail with a false one.
3. Search for a fact check. Type the key words plus "fact check" into Google, or use Google Fact Check Explorer.
4. Reverse-search photos in Google Lens and look for older copies with a different caption.
5. Screenshot two or three clear video frames and reverse-search them. Check signboards, number plates and language against the place the forward names.
6. Go to the original source. If a forward quotes a ministry, court or newspaper, find the statement on its own website.
7. Still unsure? Send it to a tipline, then reply to your group kindly with what you found.

Which fact-checkers in India have a WhatsApp tipline?

BOOM, Factly, Vishvas News and Alt News all publish WhatsApp numbers for forwards, as of October 2026. Their fact checks are written by journalists who show their evidence, which is why we list them first.

• BOOM: +91 77009 06588. English, Hindi and Bengali. Verified IFCN signatory.
• Factly: +91 92470 52470. English, Telugu and Kannada. Verified IFCN signatory.
• Vishvas News: +91 95992 99372. English, Hindi, Gujarati and Marathi. Verified IFCN signatory.
• Alt News: +91 76000 11160. English and Hindi. Listed as an expired IFCN signatory.

The limit is capacity. BOOM says it responds "if it's verifiable", and Factly picks claims by factors such as potential harm and virality. Status in the International Fact-Checking Network's directory signals published methods and corrections policies, not a guarantee.

Choose a fact-checker tipline if you want trained people to look at a viral claim and can wait for a published answer.

Should I send government-related forwards to PIB Fact Check?

Yes, if the forward is about the Government of India. PIB Fact Check, the Press Information Bureau's Fact Check Unit set up in November 2019, takes queries on WhatsApp at +91 87997 11259, by email or through its web portal.

Its own description says it only takes up queries about the Government of India, its ministries, departments and public sector undertakings, and verifies them with the body concerned. For state matters, health rumours or claims about parties, an independent tipline fits better.

Choose PIB Fact Check if a forward announces a new central scheme, rule or notice.

Where can I check a suspected deepfake video in India?

The Deepfakes Analysis Unit (DAU), a Trusted Information Alliance initiative, runs a WhatsApp tipline for suspected AI-generated or manipulated audio and video. Its website links the tipline to +91 99990 25044.

The DAU works with fact-checkers and forensic partners and publishes assessment reports; the latest on its site is dated 27 August 2026. Recent ones cover fake videos of ministers and celebrities promoting investment platforms. It focuses on audio and video, not text claims.

Choose the DAU tipline if a video or voice note of a well-known person seems off, especially if it asks for money.

Can Google Fact Check Explorer tell me if a forward was already checked?

Often, yes. Google Fact Check Explorer searches fact checks from independent organisations, and Google says you can upload an image or paste its link to see whether it appeared in one.

Google is phasing out fact-check markup in ordinary Search results but says Fact Check Explorer still supports it, so search the Explorer directly. It can only find what someone has already checked.

Choose Google Fact Check Explorer if the forward has been circulating for a while and you want to read the fact checks yourself.

How do I find out if a photo or video is old?

Reverse-search it. Google Lens searches with your camera, an image or a screenshot, in the Google app on Android and iPhone and in Chrome on a computer. An older copy with a different caption is the clearest sign of reuse.

On a computer, the InVID-WeVerify Chrome extension splits videos from platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and X into keyframes for reverse search and reads metadata. It was built for journalists and fact-checkers, some tools need registration, and it was last updated on 28 July 2026. Neither tool gives a verdict.

Choose Google Lens if the photo is on your phone; choose InVID-WeVerify if you are on a computer and comfortable with technical tools.

Can an AI chatbot like Gemini fact-check a WhatsApp forward?

An AI chatbot like Gemini can help you understand a forward and decide what to search, but it should not be your final answer. Google's help page says Gemini "can hallucinate and present inaccurate information as factual", and not all responses include sources.

Choose a general AI chatbot if you want help splitting a long forward into separate claims, then check each one elsewhere.

What is ForwardCheck and who is it for?

ForwardCheck is our app. Share a forwarded video, photo, voice note or message, and ForwardCheck lists each claim, checks it against official records, independent fact-checkers and news organisations, and explains the verdict in simple English or Hindi. It is on Google Play in India and the US and works in a web browser; the iPhone app is not on the App Store yet (as of 19 October 2026).

Each report gives a verdict (True, False, Misleading, Missing context and more), a 0–100 dial for how sure it is, every source, where a video really comes from, and a kind reply for your family group. A separate fairness check removes loaded words and checks that sources are balanced.

The limits: new checks are invite-only for now. Anyone can open a shared check and signed-in users can look up forwards already checked, but checking your own needs an invite. Reports are written with AI and can make mistakes, and the app is new. More about ForwardCheck.

Choose ForwardCheck if you have an invite and want a sourced, plain-language answer to pass on to a parent or grandparent.

When should you choose another app instead of ForwardCheck?

Choose another option instead of ForwardCheck when you want a human fact-checker's judgment, or don't have an invite yet. Four common cases:

• You don't have an invite. Send the forward to BOOM, Factly, Vishvas News or Alt News, or search Google Fact Check Explorer.
• It's about a central government scheme or notice. PIB Fact Check verifies with the government body concerned, which ForwardCheck cannot do.
• It looks like a deepfake of a public figure. The Deepfakes Analysis Unit works with forensic partners on exactly this.
• The stakes are high. For health, money or tension between communities, read a human fact-checker's published report before you act.

How we compared

We compared official websites, help pages, store listings and the IFCN signatory directory, checked on 19 October 2026. We did not test the tiplines or tools hands-on or send test forwards to anyone. Tipline numbers come from each organisation's own website; ForwardCheck details come from its Google Play listing and website. Numbers change, so check the linked pages before relying on them.

Frequently asked questions

What is the WhatsApp number to fact-check a message in India?

As of October 2026, the BOOM tipline is +91 77009 06588, Factly's is +91 92470 52470, the Vishvas News tipline is +91 95992 99372 and Alt News's is +91 76000 11160, according to their own websites. For claims about the central government, PIB Fact Check takes queries on WhatsApp at +91 87997 11259. Fact-checkers choose which claims to check, so not every message gets a reply.

Is PIB Fact Check only for government-related news?

Yes. PIB Fact Check, the Press Information Bureau's Fact Check Unit, says it only takes up queries about the Government of India, its ministries, departments and public sector undertakings. You can reach it on WhatsApp at +91 87997 11259, by email or through factcheck.pib.gov.in. For claims outside that scope, use an independent fact-checker's tipline such as BOOM, Factly or Vishvas News.

How can I tell if a WhatsApp video is old or fake?

Take screenshots of two or three clear frames and search them with Google Lens to find older copies or the original caption. On a computer, the InVID-WeVerify Chrome extension can split videos from platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and X into keyframes for reverse search. If the video shows a public figure saying something unusual, especially about money, send it to the Deepfakes Analysis Unit tipline, which checks manipulated audio and video.

Is ForwardCheck free?

Yes. ForwardCheck is free on Google Play and the web, and its website says it shows no ads. Anyone can open a check someone shares, and signed-in users can look up forwards already checked. Running new checks is invite-only for now; invited members get 10 free checks to start and can ask for more. You can join the waiting list in the app.

Is ForwardCheck available on iPhone?

Not yet. As of 19 October 2026, the ForwardCheck iPhone app is not on the App Store. iPhone users can use ForwardCheck in Safari through its website, forwardcheck.vercel.app, and can open any shared check link without signing in. The ForwardCheck Android app is on Google Play in India and the US.

Can an AI chatbot like Gemini fact-check a WhatsApp forward?

An AI chatbot like Gemini can help you split a forward into claims and decide what to search, but Google's own help page warns that Gemini can hallucinate and present inaccurate information as factual, and not every Gemini answer shows sources. Treat a chatbot's reply as a starting point, open the sources yourself, and confirm with a fact-checker or official website before you share.

Sources

1. ForwardCheck: Fact Check (Google Play listing) · Google Play · checked 19 October 2026
2. ForwardCheck: Know before you forward · Globalinno Services · checked 19 October 2026
3. Methodology: How we fact-check? · BOOM · checked 19 October 2026
4. Our Journey (About BOOM) · BOOM · checked 19 October 2026
5. Contact Us · Factly · checked 19 October 2026
6. Fact-checking methodology · Factly · checked 19 October 2026
7. About Factly · Factly · checked 19 October 2026
8. Contact Us · Vishvas News · checked 19 October 2026
9. About Us (Vishvas News) · Vishvas News · checked 19 October 2026
10. Alt News home page (WhatsApp Us) · Alt News · checked 19 October 2026
11. About · Alt News · checked 19 October 2026
12. Signatories · International Fact-Checking Network (Poynter Institute) · checked 19 October 2026
13. PIB Fact Check Portal · Press Information Bureau, Government of India · checked 19 October 2026
14. About Fact Check Unit · Press Information Bureau, Government of India · checked 19 October 2026
15. Deepfakes Analysis Unit - A Trusted Information Alliance Initiative · Deepfakes Analysis Unit · checked 19 October 2026
16. Assessment reports · Deepfakes Analysis Unit · checked 19 October 2026
17. 4 ways to use Google Search to check facts, images and sources · Google · checked 19 October 2026
18. Fact Check (ClaimReview) structured data · Google Search Central · checked 19 October 2026
19. Fact Check Explorer · Google · checked 19 October 2026
20. Search what you see with Lens · Google · checked 19 October 2026
21. Fake news debunker InVID WeVerify VeraAI · Chrome Web Store · checked 19 October 2026
22. Learn about responses from Gemini Apps · Gemini Apps Help (Google) · checked 19 October 2026
23. View related sources from Gemini Apps · Gemini Apps Help (Google) · checked 19 October 2026