HDFC Ergo & Apple Watch Reimbursement: A Massive Scam? - India Gets Moving Campaign

[TechnoFinoTechnoFino is verified member.]

In November 2024, Zopper launched the "India Gets Moving" campaign in partnership with Apple and HDFC Ergo. Under this campaign, participants were rewarded with points for completing their daily step count targets. The points earned could be redeemed for cash rewards, with the potential to receive 100% reimbursement of the sum insured (equivalent to the Apple Watch invoice value).



Full details of the program are available here: Zopper – India Gets Moving FAQ

Many people purchased an Apple Watch under this campaign, expecting to receive cash reimbursements by completing 15,000 steps daily. Numerous participants successfully met this target and anticipated their first month’s cash reward—but then, an unexpected issue surfaced.

The Problem​

In January 2025, when many users attempted to redeem their points for cash rewards, HDFC Ergo (the insurance provider) rejected a large number of claims. The most common reason given was that customers allegedly manipulated their step count by:

• Giving their Apple Watch to someone else.
• Using third-party tools or tricks to artificially increase step counts.

Several TF Community members also participated in this campaign, but none of them received cash rewards—their claims were rejected, and their insurance policies were even canceled by HDFC Ergo.

Check out this reply from one of our TF Community members:

View attachment 81553

This was the email received by my friend.

Rejected email today received it seem bulk email have been send at 2:35 today

Did Customers Really Manipulate Step Counts?​

It's undeniable that some participants may have attempted to game the system. We have seen tweets showing users using tools to increase step counts artificially.
Here’s an example tweet:


However, rejecting everyone’s claim on this assumption is unfair. Several genuine customers who actually walked 15,000 steps daily are willing to share their GPS data, heart rate records, and other proof to verify their claims. Despite this, HDFC Ergo not only rejected their claims but also terminated their policies.

Why Is This Concerning?
Many people, especially millennials, stretched their financial limits to buy an Apple Watch, believing they would be reimbursed by walking daily. This campaign gave them false hope, and now, the rejection of claims has created financial distress for them.

Even more concerning is that HDFC Ergo is not responding to customer emails properly. It appears they did not anticipate such a large number of participants successfully completing the step targets, and instead of honoring their commitment, they canceled policies and refused payments.

What’s the Solution? What Should Victims Do?​

If your claim was rejected or your policy was canceled, follow these steps:

1. Email HDFC Ergo and request a detailed explanation for the claim rejection or policy cancellation.

2. File a complaint with IRDA India (Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority):

• Email: complaints@irda.gov.in
• IRDAI Bima Bharosa Portal: https://bimabharosa.irdai.gov.in/

3. Spread awareness! Share this article widely so that it reaches the concerned authorities at HDFC Ergo and even Apple Inc.
Apple may not be directly involved, but their brand name is being negatively impacted by this situation.

I’ve also posted/raised this issue on X (Twitter):


What do you think about this issue? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

 

[Riva]

While there are no fee lunches and this offer seemed too good to be true, this is no way to run things. These guys need to be taken to court!!

 

[VasukiVasuki is verified member.]

Hdfc life and ergo is biggest shittery in industry
HDB is a leach too

Once I had bad experience I got hefty compensation from then from hdfc life

 

[0xpratyush]

Such offers can only offer free tension. 🤣

 

[taskmaster]

Didnt hdfc knew people would somehow try to game the system? They could ask for better proofs like gps data but i think they knew fully well what they were doing

 

[coolguy1]

It's a shame coming from supposedly India's biggest insurance company.

What initially started as a movement to make people fit and healthy has now made people worried, anxious and in-debt.

 

[pmaditya]

Due to social media influencers this program has become a lot more publicized. A lot of people stretched this budget to get upgraded versions of watches. A lot of friends including me stretched our budget to get the higher configuration options. We are genuinely walking for 15k steps every day but looking at the news we are concerned on the payments

 

[AkitA]

Is this offer still active?

 

[mj01]

Any scheme that makes you pay a large amount upfront is likely to turn out to be a scam.

 

[theXfactor]

In November 2024, Zopper launched the "India Gets Moving" campaign in partnership with Apple and HDFC Ergo. Under this campaign, participants were rewarded with points for completing their daily step count targets. The points earned could be redeemed for cash rewards, with the potential to receive 100% reimbursement of the sum insured (equivalent to the Apple Watch invoice value).

View attachment 82785

Full details of the program are available here: Zopper – India Gets Moving FAQ

Many people purchased an Apple Watch under this campaign, expecting to receive cash reimbursements by completing 15,000 steps daily. Numerous participants successfully met this target and anticipated their first month’s cash reward—but then, an unexpected issue surfaced.

The Problem​

In January 2025, when many users attempted to redeem their points for cash rewards, HDFC Ergo (the insurance provider) rejected a large number of claims. The most common reason given was that customers allegedly manipulated their step count by:

• Giving their Apple Watch to someone else.
• Using third-party tools or tricks to artificially increase step counts.

Several TF Community members also participated in this campaign, but none of them received cash rewards—their claims were rejected, and their insurance policies were even canceled by HDFC Ergo.

Check out this reply from one of our TF Community members:

Did Customers Really Manipulate Step Counts?​

It's undeniable that some participants may have attempted to game the system. We have seen tweets showing users using tools to increase step counts artificially.
Here’s an example tweet:


However, rejecting everyone’s claim on this assumption is unfair. Several genuine customers who actually walked 15,000 steps daily are willing to share their GPS data, heart rate records, and other proof to verify their claims. Despite this, HDFC Ergo not only rejected their claims but also terminated their policies.

Why Is This Concerning?
Many people, especially millennials, stretched their financial limits to buy an Apple Watch, believing they would be reimbursed by walking daily. This campaign gave them false hope, and now, the rejection of claims has created financial distress for them.

Even more concerning is that HDFC Ergo is not responding to customer emails properly. It appears they did not anticipate such a large number of participants successfully completing the step targets, and instead of honoring their commitment, they canceled policies and refused payments.

What’s the Solution? What Should Victims Do?​

If your claim was rejected or your policy was canceled, follow these steps:

1. Email HDFC Ergo and request a detailed explanation for the claim rejection or policy cancellation.

2. File a complaint with IRDA India (Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority):

• Email: complaints@irda.gov.in
• IRDAI Bima Bharosa Portal: https://bimabharosa.irdai.gov.in/

3. Spread awareness! Share this article widely so that it reaches the concerned authorities at HDFC Ergo and even Apple Inc.
Apple may not be directly involved, but their brand name is being negatively impacted by this situation.

I’ve also posted/raised this issue on X (Twitter):


What do you think about this issue? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

I was expecting this to happen for a couple of reasons and, therefore, despite being tempted to I didn't enroll.

- The offer itself was too good to be true
- There are a good no. of people who manipulated the steps. I know, Infact a majority did and posted their ways and means on the social media which might have raised alarms with the insurer. Now that, in turn, resulted into unusual scrutiny of all the claims.

All genuine people who have the supporting evidences in place must raise complaints and try to claim whatever they can.

Forget not that banks and all major corporates have social media cells (incl. my own company) that are very active. All tips, tricks & ways to game the system posted on social media are answered with such rejections, restrictions and/or devaluations.

 

[prathamemesh]

This needs to be mainstream news

 

[ccdc]

in India whenever you launch new schemes....expect it to be abused....so either embed such controls/tnc in the user agreements that any abuse will be dealth with seriously...or dont launch such schemes.....

 

[arthurmorgan]

Is this offer still active?

Nope, its gone

 

[Noxious]

I knew something like this could happen so I decided to ditch the offer and buy ultra 2 USA version for 60k, money saved.

 

[aaa1]

Its simple maths they did. They looked at data, figured out how many people did 15k per day everyday and figured they'd only have to pay some minor percentage of claims. But obviously they found many more people which is just not possible thanks to people like in above tweet. So they clamped down on everyone.

We cant never have nice things in India.

 

[SplendorSuperman]

Its simple maths they did. They looked at data, figured out how many people did 15k per day everyday and figured they'd only have to pay some minor percentage of claims. But obviously they found many more people which is just not possible thanks to people like in above tweet. So they clamped down on everyone.

We cant never have nice things in India.

Corruption is inherent in our society !

 

[anujdit]

HDFC should be able to check whether steps are happened at same location (GPS) or it is track where steps are completed. In addition, some pattern should be there like morning walk or evening walk.
They should share such data with customer, before rejection.

 

[vaibhav111vaibhav111 is verified member.]

Since it's a scam, something need to be done! I'm one of the people who received the email on Sunday at 2:35 AM. Earlier, between January 24-26, Phase One emails were sent, but not in bulk. This time, it's just a copy-paste response. I followed all the legitimate guidelines, but HDFC ERGO and Zopper don’t care. They need to be taught a lesson—don’t mess with consumers!

 

[NABNAB is verified member.]

HDFC should be able to check whether steps are happened at same location (GPS) or it is track where steps are completed. In addition, some pattern should be there like morning walk or evening walk.
They should share such data with customer, before rejection.

Nope. You can't keep such criteria.

People may choose to walk on the treadmill and no GPS location changes!

I can walk anytime, morning, evening, late night, or afternoon; cumulative steps for the day are supposed to be 15k+, not any particular pattern.

Heart rate readings can be a distinguishing measure. But, right now, they aren't in the mood to give what they promised. And people will find some hack for heart rate/any other measure taken as well.

 

[rohit_]

Maine 5 January Ko Redemption Kiya Tha Abhi tak Waiting Me Hun