Scammers are using social media to conduct fraudulent activities in the name of Starlink, a satellite internet service that has not been licensed to operate in Nepal. They attempt to lure users by running Facebook advertisements that provide “lifetime internet” for Rs 20,000.
A Facebook page called ‘Starlink Global’ is running fraudulent advertisements, alleging that Starlink’s new product, the Starlink Mini, is now available in Nepal with “last chance offer”. The ad features no monthly fee, easy portability, high-speed internet, and use in remote areas. The Nepali text advertisement appears to be poorly translated from Starlink’s English advertisements, revealing the fraudulent nature of the ad. A single click will lead you to an advertisement to a fradulent website that looks like Starlink with hubgridaccessnp.site, a free domain. It advertises that for a one-time setup fee, you receive lifetime unlimited internet.
There are two fake offers: the Starlink Mini Lifetime package for Rs 20,600 that offers unlimited internet, a 1-year warranty and free worldwide shipping; and an annual package for 1 year that is worth Rs 10,900 for 50 GB data. When a user clicks to order it then redirects to another site called ‘Eco Offer’ to provide payment information via Google Pay, Shop Pay or credit card.
The actual fact is that the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) has not granted approval for Starlink to operate within Nepal, therefore, even if you purchased hardware, you could not access the service without authority approval. These fake websites and offers are creating a clear effort to defraud Nepali users.
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