Calls-only plans priced, a $5,000 AI hacking spree, and the PM video that isn't real
Airtel puts the first prices on TRAI's calls-only packs, Reuters tracks one attacker who used AI agents to break into 100-plus websites, an Instagram check that outs scam pages, the deepfake welfare-scheme ads the MHA just flagged, and Apple's Pro tease for next week.
- Long Press · Daily Five20 Oct 202601 / 05
commentaryIndiaCalls-only plans are here, and they aren't cheap
Airtel put up the first TRAI-mandated calls-only plans on 19 October 2026: Rs 185 for 28 days, Rs 203 for 30 days and Rs 206 for a calendar month, all with unlimited calls, 300 SMS and no data. For a backup SIM or a parent's feature phone, the calendar-month pack is the one to pick. But roughly Rs 7 a day for calls alone isn't the cheap plan the headlines suggested, and Jio and Vi still list only 84-day and yearly packs a day before the deadline.
The questionHow much do Airtel's voice and SMS only plans cost in India?
In one lineAirtel's TRAI-mandated voice and SMS only prepaid plans cost Rs 185 for 28 days, Rs 203 for 30 days and Rs 206 for a calendar month, each with unlimited calls and 300 SMS but no data. They went up on 19 October 2026, ahead of the 21 October deadline.
The problem
Millions of Indians keep a second SIM, or a feature phone for a parent, and have been paying for data bundles they never touch. TRAI decided in September that forcing data into every plan was the operators' choice, not the customer's.
What changed
With the rule kicking in on 21 October, Airtel listed three packs in its app: Rs 185 for 28 days, Rs 203 for 30 days and Rs 206 for a calendar month, each with unlimited local and national calls and 300 SMS. According to The Week, Jio still shows only Rs 448 for 84 days and Rs 1,748 for 336 days, and Vi Rs 470 and Rs 1,849.
The catch
TRAI asked for tariffs to be reduced appropriately and set no price floor, so the operators get to decide what appropriate means. None of the three has added the mandatory TRAI-Mandated Packs tab yet, which means you'll have to go looking.
What it means for you
If a SIM only takes calls and OTPs, the Rs 206 calendar-month pack saves you remembering a 28-day cycle. Wait until Wednesday to see what Jio and Vi charge before you move anything.
Questions people ask
Have Jio and Vi launched monthly voice-only plans yet?
Not as of 19 October 2026. Jio lists calls-only packs at Rs 448 for 84 days and Rs 1,748 for 336 days, and Vi at Rs 470 for 84 days and Rs 1,849 for 365 days. TRAI's rule needs a 30-day-or-less option and a calendar-month option from every operator by 21 October.
What does TRAI's voice and SMS only rule actually require?
TRAI's Thirteenth Amendment, published on 21 September 2026, makes operators offer voice-and-SMS vouchers valid for 30 days or less, a calendar-month option and at least one longer pack, with tariffs reduced appropriately. A separate 1 October order wants a TRAI-Mandated Packs tab first on recharge pages, which none of the three had added yet.
Who should switch to an Airtel calls-only plan?
Anyone keeping a second SIM only for calls and OTPs, or a parent on a feature phone. The Rs 206 calendar-month pack is the simplest of Airtel's three. If you use mobile data at all on that SIM, these plans give you none, so check the price of your current bundle before switching.
SourcesThe Week ↗News Today ↗
- Long Press · Daily Five20 Oct 202602 / 05
securityHacking now costs about $50 a website
Reuters reported on 19 October 2026 that one attacker used AI agents built on the open-source Cairn platform to target more than 1,200 websites and break into over 100, for about $5,000 in model usage. That's roughly $50 a break-in. The skill part of hacking was always the real barrier, and it's the part that just got cheap, which is worse news for the small site with an old plugin than for the bank with a security team.
The questionHow did one hacker use AI agents to break into 100 websites?
In one lineAccording to Reuters on 19 October 2026, one attacker pointed the open-source Cairn multi-agent platform at more than 1,200 websites and broke into over 100 of them for about $5,000 in AI model usage, roughly $50 per intrusion. Data theft hasn't been confirmed.
The problem
Breaking into websites at scale used to take either real skill or a crew. That kept a lot of small, badly patched sites safe simply because nobody bothered with them.
What changed
Reuters traced one attacker who ran the open-source Cairn multi-agent platform against more than 1,200 sites and got into over 100, at an estimated $5,000 in model usage. Affected sites were tied to Deere, SharkNinja and Cummins.
The catch
Reuters says data theft hasn't been confirmed, and we don't know how many of those break-ins went beyond getting a foothold. This is one attacker, not proof of a wave, though it's hard to imagine they'll be the last.
What it means for you
If you run a site, a shop or a blog, assume something automated is already poking at it. Update the plugins, delete the ones you don't use, and turn on auto-updates.
Questions people ask
Which companies were hit in the Cairn AI agent hacking spree?
Reuters identified affected websites tied to Deere, SharkNinja and Cummins among the more than 100 breached. The report says data theft from those sites has not been confirmed, and the full list of victims and what the attacker took is still unclear as of 19 October 2026.
What is Cairn and why does it matter?
Cairn is an open-source multi-agent platform, meaning several AI agents split up the work of scanning, probing and exploiting targets. It matters because the attacker didn't need custom tools or a team. About $5,000 of model usage covered more than 1,200 targets, which puts this kind of campaign within reach of almost anyone.
How can small website owners protect themselves from AI-driven attacks?
Patch quickly and cut what's exposed. Old plugins, forgotten admin panels and unpatched servers are exactly what automated agents find first, and at $50 an attempt nobody is too small to target. Turn on automatic updates where you can and remove software you no longer use.
SourcesReuters ↗TechStartups ↗
- Long Press · Daily Five20 Oct 202603 / 05
tipFive seconds to unmask a scam Instagram page
Instagram's About this account page, reached from the three dots on any profile, shows when an account joined and which country it's based in, and on many accounts how often it changed its username. It's the fastest scam check on the app. A government scheme page that joined last month from another country with three old names isn't a government page, and you can see that before you message anyone.
The questionHow do I check when an Instagram account was created and where it's based?
In one lineOpen the Instagram profile, tap the three dots at the top, then tap About this account. For many accounts it shows the date joined, the country the account is based in and, where Instagram displays them, former usernames. A brand-new foreign page posing as a ministry is a giveaway.
The problem
Scam ads on Instagram borrow official logos, minister faces and blue-tick-looking graphics. The profile grid looks real enough, and most people never check who's actually running it.
What changed
Go to the profile, tap the three dots in the top corner and choose About this account. As Lilach Bullock's guide lays out, it shows the date joined and the country the account is based in for many accounts, plus former usernames where Instagram displays them. Instagram describes the page on its help centre.
The catch
Not every account shows every field, and a patient scammer can age an account before using it. Treat it as a quick filter, not a guarantee.
What it means for you
Before you reply to any ad promising money, open About this account. If the dates and country don't fit the story, report it and move on.
Questions people ask
Why doesn't About this account show former usernames for every Instagram profile?
Instagram only shows former usernames where it chooses to display them, and About this account appears on many accounts rather than all. If a line is missing, that information simply isn't available for that profile. Outside websites claiming to reveal more than Instagram shows can't be trusted.
What should I do if an Instagram ad looks like a government scheme scam?
Check About this account first, then verify the scheme on the department's official website. Instagram's own advice is to avoid responding and report the account. If you've already paid or shared a UPI PIN, call the 1930 cybercrime helpline in India straight away.
- Long Press · Daily Five20 Oct 202604 / 05
myth busterIndiaThe PM didn't post that video
The MHA's Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre warned on 19 October 2026 that videos of the Prime Minister, the Finance Minister and state chief ministers announcing cash schemes on Facebook and Instagram are deepfakes. The myth is that a minister on video makes it official. It doesn't anymore, and the tell isn't in the video at all: no real scheme charges you a fee to pay you, and a UPI PIN only ever sends money.
The questionAre the PM Modi welfare scheme videos on Instagram and Facebook real?
In one lineNo. On 19 October 2026 the MHA's Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre warned that videos of PM Modi, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and state chief ministers promoting cash schemes on Facebook and Instagram are deepfakes used to collect fees and UPI PINs.
The problem
Plenty of people, older relatives especially, treat a video of a minister as the most official thing on their phone. Scammers know that, and they now have tools that make the face and voice convincing.
What changed
The I4C's National Cybercrime Threat Analytics Unit said on Monday that deepfake ads of PM Modi, Nirmala Sitharaman and several CMs are running mainly on Facebook and Instagram, The420.in reports. Victims get calls or WhatsApp messages, pay registration or processing fees, and are then pushed into scratch cards and spin-and-win games that ask for a UPI PIN. Calls from +92 numbers were singled out, per the MHA warning.
The catch
You won't spot a good deepfake by squinting at it, and the advisory doesn't pretend you can. The ads are still running on Meta's platforms, and nothing in the warning says that's about to change.
What it means for you
Skip judging the video and check the money instead. A fee, a PIN or a WhatsApp follow-up means it's a scam; verify on the department's own site, and call 1930 if anything has gone.
Questions people ask
How does the deepfake government scheme scam work in India?
A manipulated video ad offers aid or cashback. Victims who respond are contacted by phone or WhatsApp, told they've been selected, then asked for registration, verification or processing fees. Fake scratch cards or spin-and-win contests then ask for a UPI PIN, which authorises a payment out of the victim's account rather than a prize in.
Does entering a UPI PIN ever receive money?
No. A UPI PIN only authorises money leaving your account. The I4C advisory of 19 October 2026 repeats this: you never need a PIN to receive a payment, a refund or cashback. Anyone asking for your PIN to send you money is trying to take it.
Where do I report a deepfake scheme scam in India?
Call the national cybercrime helpline 1930 or file a complaint at cybercrime.gov.in, ideally within hours, so the money can be frozen while it moves between accounts. The advisory also flagged international calls from +92 numbers and advised checking any scheme on the department's official portal first.
- Long Press · Daily Five20 Oct 202605 / 05
hot takeA touchscreen Mac only works if macOS changes too
Apple's Greg Joswiak posted 'Can't wait to pro and tell next week' on 19 October 2026, the only official piece. MacRumors reports a hands-on media session in Los Angeles on 28 October, and the rumoured headliner is an OLED MacBook Pro with a touchscreen. Touch on a Mac is overdue, but I'll only care if macOS gets buttons sized for a finger; bolt a touch layer onto today's tiny menus and it's a fingerprint magnet with a Pro price tag.
The questionIs Apple launching a touchscreen MacBook Pro on October 28, 2026?
In one lineApple hasn't confirmed it. Greg Joswiak posted 'Can't wait to pro and tell next week' on 19 October 2026, and MacRumors reports a Los Angeles media session on 28 October. A touchscreen OLED MacBook Pro, M6 iMac and OLED iPad mini are rumours, not official.
The problem
Mac owners who also use an iPad have spent years poking at laptop screens out of habit. Apple has kept the two apart, partly on principle and partly, it's fair to suspect, so you'd buy both.
What changed
Joswiak's post on Monday is official. Everything else is reported: MacRumors says media are invited to an LA experience on 28 October at 10 a.m. Pacific, with a touchscreen OLED MacBook Pro, an M6 entry MacBook Pro, an M6 iMac and an OLED iPad mini expected.
The catch
None of the hardware is confirmed, and Gurman has suggested sales might not start until 6 November. There's no word yet on India pricing, which for an OLED Pro won't be gentle.
What it means for you
If you're about to buy a MacBook Pro, hold off eight days. Either you get the new one or the current model gets cheaper.
Questions people ask
What did Apple officially announce about its October 2026 launch?
Only a tease. On 19 October 2026 Apple marketing chief Greg Joswiak posted 'Can't wait to pro and tell next week.' MacRumors reports media are invited to an in-person experience in Los Angeles on 28 October at 10 a.m. Pacific, with no standard keynote expected.
When will the OLED MacBook Pro go on sale?
There's no official date. MacRumors notes Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the OLED MacBook Pro and other devices could launch on Friday 6 November 2026, but that's a report, not an Apple announcement. India pricing and availability are unknown until Apple confirms the products.
SourcesMacRumors ↗
Taps
Quick hits. One line each, for when a long press is too much.
- IndiaBusiness Today ↗
Jio Platforms IPO anchor book oversubscribed 30 times before Wednesday's opening
Bids topped Rs 2.5 lakh crore for Rs 8,110 crore of shares. Bidding runs Oct 21 to 23 at Rs 1,065 to 1,119, listing Oct 28.
- IndiaWhalesbook ↗
Hyderabad Police warn of fake WhatsApp debit alerts that ask you to reply NO
Banks don't settle disputes on WhatsApp. Don't reply, check the bank's own app, and call 1930 if money moved.
- IndiaYourStory ↗
Khosla leads Even Healthcare's $50 million round for five new Bengaluru hospitals
The round values the managed-care startup at three times its price 18 months ago. It runs two hospitals today.
- GlobalReuters ↗
US DHS orders DeepSeek removed from civilian federal IT systems
Covers DeepSeek products and third-party services built on its models, and bars future purchases, under a 2018 supply-chain security law.
- GlobalTechStartups ↗
Tenstorrent raises $1.5 billion at a $6.2 billion valuation
Jim Keller's RISC-V AI chip company more than doubled its December 2024 valuation. Nvidia-scale volume is still a long way off.