A viral WhatsApp message falsely claims that Rs 500 notes will stop being given from ATMs by 2025. The RBI has issued no such instruction. Rs 500 notes continue to be legal tender, says PIB Fact Check.
Demonetisation Facts
In 2016, India demonetised Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes overnight. The move aimed to fight black money, but caused long ATM queues and public hardship.
DO NOT believe WhatsApp forwards claiming Rs 500 notes will stop from 2025. The RBI has made no such decision. A message going viral on WhatsApp claims that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has told all banks to stop giving Rs 500 notes through ATMs by September 30, 2025. The message says banks should aim to stop 75% of Rs 500 note circulation through ATMs by then, and 90% by March 2026. It also claims that ATMs will soon only give Rs 100 and Rs 200 notes, and people should start using up their Rs 500 notes now.
RBI note ban message is fake
The Press Information Bureau (PIB), which checks fake news related to government matters, has confirmed that RBI has not issued any instruction like this.
On August 3, 2025, PIB Fact Check posted on social media:
“Rs 500 note continues to be legal tender.”
They also marked the viral message as FAKE.
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RBI HAS NOT banned Rs 500 note
The Reserve Bank of India has not made any statement or circular asking banks to stop disbursing Rs 500 notes through ATMs. RBI regularly updates ATMs and currency policies, but there is no plan to remove Rs 500 notes from circulation.
If RBI ever makes such a decision, it will publish it on its official website and share it with the media. There will never be a secret decision announced only through a forwarded message.
How to check if a message is fake
Here are some easy tips:
- First of all, don’t blindly believe messages that say ‘Forwarded many times’ without links to official sources.
- Always check with trusted government sites like https://pib.gov.in or the RBI website.
- Follow official handles like @PIBFactCheck for truth.
- Ask someone or search online for credible before sharing such claims.
Spreading fake news about money can create panic. In 2016, India saw a lot of confusion during demonetisation. Messages like these can make people worried for no reason. It’s important to stop and verify before you believe or forward such messages.
If someone sends you a message telling you to ‘get rid of your Rs 500 notes’, just ignore it. It’s fake.