WebQoof Recap: Misinformation Around RCB's Victory, Russia-Ukraine War & More

Read our weekly recap to find out the most viral pieces of misinformation from this week.

(Photo: The Quint)

From misinformation around Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) victory in IPL 2025 to AI-generated images being falsely linked to Russia-Ukraine war, here are the most viral pieces of misinformation from this week.

1. No, RBI Will Not 'Stop' Dispensing Rs 500 Notes From ATMs

A message is going viral which claims that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has asked all banks to stop dispensing Rs 500 denomination banknotes by the end of September 2025 from ATMs.

"Target is 75% of all banks BANKS ATM & then 90% ATM by 31Mar26. ATM going forward will only disburse only 200₹ and 100₹ notes only," it states.

An archive can be seen here.

(Source: X/Screenshot)

However, this claim is misleading. There is no official announcement about the ATMs not disbursing Rs 500 notes.

Read our fact-check here.

2. Fact-Check: Did This Kangaroo Try To Board a Flight? No, It’s AI!

A video of a woman arguing with airline staff while standing next to a kangaroo holding a boarding pass has gone viral on social media.

The claim: Those sharing the 10-second clip have claimed that it shows a woman trying to board a flight with her pet kangaroo.

An archived version of this post can be seen here.

(Source: Facebook/Screenshot)

However, this clip has been made using Artificial Intelligence (AI).

You can read our fact-check here.

3. Old Video From Kolhapur Shared as Celebrations in Bengaluru After RCB's IPL Win

A video showing a crowd dancing and celebrating on streets is going viral on social media.

The users sharing this video are claiming that it is a recent clip from Karnataka's Bengaluru and shows people celebrating Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) victory in IPL 2025.

An archive can be seen here.

(Source: X/Screenshot)

But this video dates back to June 2024 and is from Kolhapur, Maharashtra.

Read our fact-check here.

4. Mauritanian Hajj Pilgrims’ Plane Crashed? No! Old, AI Image Goes Viral

A set of two photos are going viral online to claim that a flight from Mauritania carrying 220 Hajj pilgrims recently crashed in the Red Sea.

An archive can be seen here.

(Source; X/Screenshot)

This claim is false.

• The first image is AI-generated and not a real picture.

• The second image dates back to at least 2018 when an Algerian army plane crashed killing 257 people, mostly soldiers.

• Read our fact-check here.

5. AI Image Viral as Real Photo of Plane at Ukrainian Airbase Destroyed by Russia

A photo showing a massive fire around an aircraft has gone viral on social media, where users have claimed that it shows visuals from a Ukrainian airbase that was destroyed by Russian forces during retaliatory action.

An archived version of this post can be seen here.

(Source: X (formerly Twitter)/Screenshot)

But this image was made using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and does not show a real photo.

Read our fact-check here.

(Not convinced of a post or information you came across online and want it verified? Send us the details on WhatsApp at 9540511818 , or e-mail it to us at [e-mail] and we'll fact-check it for you. You can also read all our fact-checked stories here.)