Fact-Check: Media Organisations Fall For Zomato’s 'Joke' on Rs 2,000 Notes

Food delivery company Zomato shared a photo of a man wearing their company's t-shirt and lying on a pile of Rs 2,000 notes on their official Twitter handle. The post's caption said, "since Friday, 72% of our cash on delivery orders were paid in ₹2000 notes."

Media outlets amplified the claim: Several news organisations such as Times of India, India Today, Hindustan Times, English Jagran, NDTV, Mint, Business Today, Economic Times, and India.com.

(Swipe right to view some of the claims.)

The context: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently announced the withdrawal of Rs 2000 notes from circulation. However, it will continue to be a legal tender. People can exchange their Rs 2,000 notes before the deadline of 30 September.

Here's the problem with the claim: For the unversed, the picture is originally a scene from the American crime drama series Breaking Bad.

• It has become a popular meme template which has been shared over the years.

• The Quint reached out to a Zomato spokesperson who confirmed that the post was shared as a joke.

The scene from Breaking Bad: A reverse image search led us to a video uploaded on an unverified YouTube channel called 'Glenbob'.

• It was titled, "Breaking Bad Huell - I Gotta Do It Man."

• At around the 0:25 mark, one can see a similar visual as the viral image.

• A comparison between the viral picture and a keyframe of the video shows that the former one has been edited to add Zomato's t-shirt and Rs 2,000 notes.

A popular meme template: For several years, the picture has been used in different types of memes. A website called 'Know Your Meme' carried some examples, which can be seen below.

Zomato clarifies: Speaking to The Quint, a spokesperson from the company said that the post is "a joke/ in jest and not factual."

Why is it relevant?: Considering the panic the announcement has created, such posts are likely to add to the confusion. It should be noted that while some people may understand the joke, others who are not familiar with the meme template might be misled and could lead to people actually paying delivery partners with Rs 2,000 notes.

Conclusion: Several media organisations fall for a joke shared on Zomato's official Twitter handle which showed an edited picture of a man lying on a pile of Rs 2000 notes.

(With inputs from Aishwarya Varma and Naman Shah.)

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