Fact-check: Did Russian President Putin arrive in South Africa for the 2023 BRICS Summit, as video footage shows?

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No, the footage shows Putin arriving for the 2018 BRICS summit in South Africa and was aired by SABC News.

Writer: Ochaya Jackson

A viral Facebook post with a video showing Russian President Vladimir Putin supposedly arriving for the 2023 BRICS summit in South Africa is false. 

The post, shared on 19 August 2023, reads: “President Putting has landed….. (sic).” The video shows Putin being received at the airport. 

The claim, widely shared on Facebook and TikTok, appears to be footage aired by South Africa Broadcasting Corporation(SABC) News. 

A keyword Search using the words “Putin arrives in South Africa for BRICS Summit” shows that the claim was shared widely. 

In one instance, a TikTok user shared the video footage, claiming that the Russian President’s arrival for the BRICS summit in South Africa was a slap to the United States and the International Criminal Court (ICC).

“It’s a slap to the USA and ICC as Vladimir Putin arrives in South Africa for [the] BRICS Summit,” reads the claim text. 

The screenshot of the TikTok claim

The Google Search result also returned a fact-check by RTL Today, debunking the same false claim.

Context:

The BRICS Summit is an international relations conference that brings together heads of state from the BRICS countries namely Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa as a group of emerging economies. It was also attended by various heads of state or government officials from other countries around the world.

The claim regarding Putin’s arrival in South Africa surfaced ahead of the three-day 15th BRICS summit held from 22 August 2023 in South Africa.

Putin was supposed to attend the summit as a member of the BRICS. Still, the South African government announced on July 19, 2023, in a statement that the Russian president would not attend the summit, citing it as a mutual agreement.

Notably, the International Criminal Court, which South Africa is a member of, issued an arrest warrant against Putin in March 2023. The warrant subjects him to arrest in any member country of the Hague-based court. 

A keyword search on “Putin arrives in South Africa” on YouTube returns the footage captured by SABC News. It was taken when the Russian President arrived for the 2018 BRICS summit in South Africa. 

For the 2023 BRICS summit, Putin was represented by the Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov. 

According to a media report, Putin addressed the audience at the summit via a video link but not in person.

Conclusion:

The video supposedly showing Putin arriving for the 2023 BRICS summit in South Africa is false. The video was taken by SABC News in 2018 when Putin attended the 10th BRICS summit hosted by South Africa.

This fact check was published by 211 Check with support from Code for Africa’s PesaCheck and the African Fact-Checking Alliance.

To ensure accuracy and transparency, we at 211 Check welcome corrections from our readers. If you spot an error in this article, please request a correction using this form. Our team will review your request and make the necessary corrections immediately, if any.

It’s vital to fight misinformation and disinformation in the media by avoiding fake news. Don’t share content you’re uncertain about. False information can harm and mislead people, risking their lives—Fact-check before sharing. For more details, visit https://211check.org/ or message us on WhatsApp at +211 917 298 255. #FactsMatter.

Fact-check: This picture depicts Bauchi State, Nigeria, not Yei County, South Sudan 

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This picture does not show Yei County but Bauchi State in Nigeria.

Writer: Nancy Ceasar

There is an image of a highway, a car, and a mountain view posted on 9th August 2023 on a Facebook personal account created in 2009 with 7.2k followers with the caption, “Which place is this in, Yei?”

It is false. The place in the picture is not Yei.

This post attracted some comments and likes, and the commenters were guessing because they couldn’t tell which place it was, making it a reason to fact-check whether it was Yei River County.

This is a screenshot of the post.

This post attracted comments, and some commenters gave suggestions because they did not know whether it was Yei.

Investigation:

Visual Clues: Yei, a Central Equatoria State town, has no tarmac road. The roads and streets are also not as wide as those in the picture.

211 Check performed a reverse image search on the picture using Google Lens Search. The results show that Bauchi friends posted the image on Instagram on June 10th, 2021, with the caption, “This is a paradise for mountaineers and hikers. Which of the frames is your favourite?” “Mbula Hills, Dass LDA of Bauchi State, Nigeria, NG”

A screenshot of the picture that Bauchi’s friends posted

And the same picture was posted by Top Travel and Tour on Instagram with the caption “Top Places of Interest in Bauchi.” “Mbula Hill is one of the many hills in Bauchi state, located in the Dass local government area of Bauchi State.”

Mbula Hill, which is about 4100 feet high, is one of the major tourist destinations in Dass. Mbula Hill is an ideal destination for mountain climbers and hikers. When you plan on exploring Bauchi, remember to put Dass on your list”. This was shared on 5 January 2020.

The People, Relief, and Landforms of Dass Emirate posted the same picture with the caption, “As part of an effort by the present administration government and Governor Muhamad Abdullahi Abubakar of Bauchi State to explore tourism potentials in the state, Atewa Daily Blog deems it paramount to compile brief facts from Dass Emirate.” 

This picture was posted on 13 July 2017

Conclusion:

211 Check finds the picture claimed to be a part of Yei false. The photo shows Bauchi State, Nigeria.

To ensure accuracy and transparency, we at 211 Check welcome corrections from our readers. If you spot an error in this article, please request a correction using this form. Our team will review your request and make the necessary corrections immediately, if any.

Fighting misinformation and disinformation in the media is crucial to avoiding fake news. Don’t share content you’re uncertain about. False information can harm and mislead people, risking their lives—Fact-check before sharing. For more details, visit https://211check.org/ or message us on WhatsApp at +211 917 298 255. #FactsMatter.

Fact-check: Picture misidentified as Juba, South Sudan

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This picture shows Johannesburg, South Africa

Writer: Nancy Ceasar

A Facebook page New Sudan posted an image with the caption, “Juba, South Sudan ♥ ️” is false.

This post, published on 16 July 2023, attracted 1.7K likes, 258 comments, and 57 shares. The page posted this picture.

Does this picture show Juba, South Sudan?

Investigation:

211 Check carried out a Google Reverse Image Search on the picture,  and the results showed that the picture had been used by different people referring the picture to Johannesburg, South Africa.

The Most beautiful place in the World posted this picture on August 25, 2020, with a caption.

Screenshot of the picture as shown by Most Beautiful Places in the World

In addition, Angelillo posted the same on Pinterest with the caption “Jacaranda Avenue, Johannesburg, South Africa”. 

Additionally, Agajahub Publisher posted the picture with other pictures, captioning them “List of 30 beautiful cities in Africa and their pictures”.

The most beautiful natural places in the World posted the same picture on 29 August 2020.

I Love South Africa posted the image with the caption, “Jacaranda trees are here to stay,” says the city of Tshwane, which was posted on 28 October 2022.

Architecture and design  – Johannesburg’s Jacaranda on 12 February 2019.

A screenshot of the post

Conclusion:

211 Check has found out that the image making rounds claiming to be Juba, South Sudan, is false. The picture shows Johannesburg, South Africa.

Juba is the capital of South Sudan, the largest city of South Sudan, and the capital of the central Equatoria state. It’s the world’s newest capital city, while Johannesburg, South Africa, is the biggest city and capital of Gauteng province. It began as a 19th-century gold-mining settlement.

To ensure accuracy and transparency, we at 211 Check welcome corrections from our readers. If you spot an error in this article, please request a correction using this form. Our team will review your request and make the necessary corrections immediately, if any.

Fighting misinformation and disinformation in the media is crucial to avoiding fake news. Don’t share content you’re uncertain about. False information can harm and mislead people, risking their lives—Fact-check before sharing. For more details, visit https://211check.org/ or message us on WhatsApp at +211 917 298 255. #FactsMatter.

Fact-check: Did thunder strike these people in Uganda because of mobile phones?

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No, the incident happened in India and was unrelated to mobile phone use. 

Writer: Ochaya Jackson

A message circulating on WhatsApp claiming that some people in Uganda were struck by thunder while taking shelter under a tree because their phones were on is false. 

The message, accompanied by a 13-second video, alleges that the supposed casualties were struck dead because their phones were not switched off and warned people to put phones off when it is raining.

“Hi brethren. This is a horrific scene. Thunder struck people dead in Uganda because their phones where not off when they were taking shelter under a tree. Caution, let’s always put our phones off when it is raining (sic),” reads the text. 

In the video, four people are seen falling to the ground after a lightning flash while sheltering under a tree as it rains.

The screenshot of the WhatsApp message

Investigation:

A Google reverse image search returned that the video has been shared on various online platforms. 

According to ‘WildFilmsIndia’, the video shows four men being struck by lightning while taking shelter during rain under a tree in Gurgaon Park, India. It was uploaded in March 2021.

The video was also shared here in December 2021, and the text accompanying it translates to a warning that people should avoid wired phones except in emergencies.

The same video was shared in January 2022 by here, accompanied by text that warned people not to take shelter under the tree and that they should turn off their phones or put them on flight mode. 

This site also posted a video with an Arabic text that warned people to stay away from trees and tall metal objects during thunderstorms. 

Findings

A keyword search on ‘thunder strike people in Uganda’ on Google returned several media reports regarding lightning strikes that killed people in Uganda but not because their phones were on when raining.

According to a BBC report in August 2020, 10 children were killed by a lightning strike in the Arua district of Uganda while sheltering in a grass-thatch hut.

In 2011, The Christian Science Monitor reported that lightning struck a primary school and killed 20 pupils, and about 100 were injured. No reference was made to mobile phones being the reason for the lightning strike.

It is also important to note that thunder is a sound wave caused by a flash of lightning and it is created when the lightning’s energy passes through the air. Lightning heats the air rapidly with a temperature of about 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit (27,760 degrees Celsius) and the rapid expansion and contraction creates the sound wave known as thunder, according to the National Weather Service.

Does a cell phone attract lightning? No

According to AccuWeather, cell phones do not attract lightning. However, using a landline phone during a thunderstorm is dangerous because of its connection to the outside wire as lightning follows the wire to the handset.

Source: Channel Future 2018, credit: Shutterstock

Scientific literature published by the National Centre for Biotechnology Information in 2006, which cited the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) report, indicated that mobile phones are not a lightning strike risk. 

Conclusion

Media reports about lightning strikes that killed people in Uganda did not cite mobile phones as the reason for attracting lightning when raining. 

Additionally, there are no recent reports of such an incident in Uganda, and according to Ugandan Police Force Spokesperson Commissioner Fred Enanga, “We have never registered such an incident of lightning here. Most incidents are football-related, schools, gardening, and the chairs in the video are not common here (sic).”

On the other hand, reports from Indian media, as seen here and here, show that the incident took place in India. It was also said that the men only suffered burn injuries, and there is no mention of mobile phones as the cause. 

No publicly available proof exists that lightning strikes people when it rains because of switching mobile phones on or using them. However, using landline phones when raining poses a risk. 

This fact check was published by 211 Check with support from Code for Africa’s PesaCheck and the African Fact-Checking Alliance.

To ensure accuracy and transparency, we at 211 Check welcome corrections from our readers. If you spot an error in this article, please request a correction using this form. Our team will review your request and make the necessary corrections immediately, if any.

Fighting misinformation and disinformation in the media is crucial to avoiding fake news. Don’t share content you’re uncertain about. False information can harm and mislead people, risking their lives—Fact-check before sharing. For more details, visit https://211check.org/ or message us on WhatsApp at +211 917 298 255. #FactsMatter.

Fact-check: Is this a photo of the President of South Sudan holding an Illuminati contract?

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No, the picture has been altered. The original photo shows President Salva Kiir Mayardit receiving an invitation letter from a representative of the Turkish president.

Writer: Beatrice Amude Paulino

A Facebook post with an image of South Sudanese president Salva Kiir holding a piece of paper with the words ‘Illuminati contract’ is false. 

The post by ‘Membership Supremacy’ states some benefits of becoming an Illuminati member and is accompanied by four images, including one of Kiir holding the supposed contract.

Screenshot of the post.

Investigation:

A reverse image search of the photo using Google Lens brings up the original photo as featured in an article by the Sudan Tribune published on January 11, 2023. The story’s title reads: “South Sudan’s Kiir invited for a conference in Turkey.’’

The image shows Turkey’s envoy to South Sudan, Erdem Mutaf, presenting the invitation letter to Kiir on behalf of the Turkish president. 

The original image clearly does not bear the ‘Illuminati contract’ text and has also been shared here. 

Conclusion:

211 Check has found that the picture making rounds on social media purportedly showing the President of South Sudan, H.E. Salva Kiir, receiving an ‘Illuminati contract’ is false. The image shows Turkey’s envoy to South Sudan, Erdem Mutaf, presenting an invitation letter to Kiir on behalf of the Turkish president. 

This fact check was published by 211 Check with support from Code for Africa’s PesaCheck and the African Fact-Checking Alliance.

 To ensure accuracy and transparency, we at 211 Check welcome corrections from our readers. If you spot an error in this article, please request a correction using this form. Our team will review your request and make the necessary corrections immediately, if any.

It’s vital to fight misinformation and disinformation in the media by avoiding fake news. Don’t share content you’re uncertain about. False information can harm and mislead people, risking lives—Fact-check before sharing. For more details, visit https://211check.org/ or message us on WhatsApp at +211 917 298 255. #FactsMatter

Fact-check: Former Niger finance minister caught on video crying after allegedly squandering state funds?

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No, the video shows Morou Amadou, the former Justice Minister in Niger, and is unrelated to the coup.  

Writer: Jibi Moses

A video originally posted on Tiktok and making the rounds on WhatsApp claiming that Niger’s former finance minister was crying after being threatened with death by firing squad for stealing from the state coffers is false.  

The video shows a man sobbing and being offered a bottle of water. The WhatsApp message accompanying the video claims that the man, supposedly Niger’s former finance minister, was crying because he was given an ultimatum of 48 hours by the coup plotters to account for all the stolen Nigerien money or else he would be killed by firing squad. The video was shared on July 31, 2023.

 A screenshot of the video as shared on the WhatsApp platform

The video was also presented with the same headline on different websites, such as here and here.

Investigation:

211Check traced the TikTok video to Djibo Amadou, who shared the video on July 26, 2023. 

A Reverse Image Search, of a screengrab from the video returned many results, some dating back as far as 2021.

Sources that used the video with the same or similar headlines include here, here, and  here, among others. 

However, the results also brought up the video as shared on December 27, 2021, by a Facebook user. The video was shared with an accompanying text in Hausa, identified with the help of Google Translate. The text’s translation identifies the person in the video as ‘Morou Amadou, the former Niger minister of Justice.’

A screenshot of the text shared by the Facebook user as translated by Google

We also discovered that the video had been shared on Twitter on December 20, 2021, with a caption in Arabic. Using Google Translate, we realised the post described the man in the video as the former Minister of Justice, ‘Maro Amdo’, who was a minister in Niger between 2011 and 2021. 

The narrative was that the minister was crying while praising the former presidents of Niger, especially Muhammadu Issoufou, with whom he worked for ten years as Minister of Justice.

The screenshot of the tweet is both in arabic and English

Morou Amadou 

A search on Google using the words “Is Morou Amadou the former finance minister of Niger?” returned several results explaining that Amadou was the Former Minister of Justice from April 21, 2011–April 1, 2021.

A picture of Morou Amadou, while still in office as Minister of Justice 

On the other hand, Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, the former Finance Minister of Niger, has been appointed the New Prime Minister by coup leader Abdourahmane Tchiani. 

A picture of the former minister of finance, currently the prime minister  (AFP).

Niger coup saga

On July 26, 2023, the Presidential Guard in Niger launched a coup and detained President Mohamed Bazoum and his family. Senior officers from various defence and security forces (FDS) branches formed a junta named the National Council for the Safeguarding of the Homeland (CNSP). They announced the seizure of power In a televised broadcast. The public response varied, with initial demonstrations in support of Bazoum being dispersed by mutinous soldiers and subsequent demonstrations in support of the CNSP. On July 27, the Nigerien Armed Forces joined the CNSP, citing their intent to avoid lethal confrontation and to safeguard the president and his family. (Source🙂

Conclusion

The claim in the video, which has been widely shared, is false and misleading. This video, which is of former Nigerien Minister of Justice Marou Amadou, has been online since December 2021 and is unrelated to the coup.

Similarly, several fact-checking organisations have also debunked the claim, as seen here, here, and here.

This fact check was published by 211 Check with support from Code for Africa’s PesaCheck and the African Fact-Checking Alliance.

To ensure accuracy and transparency, we at 211 Check welcome corrections from our readers. If you spot an error in this article, please request a correction using this form. Our team will review your request and make the necessary corrections immediately, if any.

It’s important to fight misinformation and disinformation in the media by avoiding fake news. Don’t share content you’re uncertain about. False information can harm and mislead people, risking their lives. Fact-check before sharing. For more details, visit https://211check.org/ or message us on WhatsApp at +211 917 298 255. #FactsMatter.

Fact-check: RwandAir isn’t offering government transport subsidies

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RwandAir is not giving transport subsidies to citizens. This claim was made to trick unsuspecting internet users and take their sensitive information.

Writer: Nancy Ceasar

A message was forwarded to many  WhatsApp groups and private chats claiming to be Rwanda’s government transport subsidy, giving gifts to their lucky winners with an award of “$1,000,00” after answering some questions.

This is the screenshot of the process shown after answering the questionnaire provided by the link

Then after opening the box, it takes it to another unrelated site, making it suspicious. 

The picture on the congratulatory message was used by the Facebook page Rwanda, the heart of Africa, with the caption, “The national carrier, Rwanda, has been named among the most improved airlines in the world. Kigali international airport has also recorded the best-ever passenger traffic #I love Rwanda. Rwanda is a small country with a big dream,” on December 10th 2018.

Investigation:

211 Check carried out an examination of the URL using Virustotal, an online tool used to detect malware and other suspicious software. It detected the URL as being a phishing link. Phishing links are links created to promote scams or fraudulent activities, and by clicking on them, one’s information can be stolen and used for selfish reasons or to misuse information for personal gain.

The official website for RwandAir is: https://www.rwandair.com/ 

In addition, a Google Lens search shows that Pulse used the picture live.co.ke with the caption, “Here is how many passengers the top 10 African airlines managed to airlift in 2018.”

A screenshot of when Pulse first used the image 

Rwanda Airlines began operating on December 1, 2002, as a new national carrier under the name RwandAir Express [passenger air transportation is the core activity]. Rwanda, with concession, is carrying out airport ground handling ancillary activity at Kigali International Airport.

In March 2009, it was registered with a new trademark, RwandAir, the current operating name. The Rwandan government introduced a 29.3 billion Rwandan franc subsidy to ease the burden on pressed public transport service providers. Information provided by ODA indicates that the government has allocated a subsidy of 29.3 billion Rwandan Francs in the 2021 financial year as a relief payment to hard-pressed public transport operators. Under the now extended covid 19 regulations, Rwandan public transport operators are requested to reduce their load factors to 50% of carrying capacity.

Previously, the same claim had surfaced on the internet and was fact-checked by PesaCheck, as seen in this link.

Conclusion:

211 Check finds that the circular in WhatsApp groups claiming that the government of Rwanda will issue transportation subsidies and every citizen can get them is false. This is a phishing scam where some individuals collect internet users’ details and use them for their interests or sell them to a third party. The general public should be cautious when dealing with information online. Some information is too good to be true, and verification is needed before trusting any link shared on social media.

To ensure accuracy and transparency, we at 211 Check welcome corrections from our readers. If you spot an error in this article, please request a correction using this form. Our team will review your request and make the necessary corrections immediately, if any.

Fighting misinformation and disinformation in the media is crucial to avoiding fake news. Don’t share content you’re uncertain about. False information can harm and mislead people, risking their lives. Fact-check before sharing. For more details, visit https://211check.org/ or message us on WhatsApp at +211 917 298 255. #FactsMatter

Fact-check: This picture isn’t of a South Sudanese man with his two wives

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The picture has been on the internet since 2020. It is of a Ghanaian man posing with his two wives.

Writer: Rajab Mayol

A photo of a man with two ladies was shared on Facebook, allegedly a South Sudanese man named ‘Solomon Wani’ with two wives is false.

“Congratulations to Solomon Wani for becoming the first Junubi Man to marry Two wives in 2 days. Speaking to Top in South Sudan, Solomon said he plans to Marry at least 12 wives before Christmas,” said Top in South Sudan in their post.

This is the screenshot of the post shared by Top in South Sudan on Facebook

Investigation

A Google reverse image search using google lens on the picture showed that the picture in the post had been uploaded to Facebook since August 2020 and by multiple Facebook pages. In the photo, a Ghanaian man poses with his two wives.  

Conclusion 

211 Check has found the claim that a photo allegedly showing a man “Solomon Wani” with two wives from South Sudan is false. 

The photo is of a Ghanaian man posing with his two wives and has been on the internet since at least August 2020.

This fact check has been published by 211 Check as part of an assignment submission for the Empowering Fact-checking in South Sudan (EFiSS) Training.

To ensure accuracy and transparency, we at 211 Check welcome corrections from our readers. If you spot an error in this article, please request a correction using this form. Our team will review your request and make the necessary corrections immediately, if any.

It’s vital to fight misinformation and disinformation in the media by avoiding fake news. Don’t share content you’re uncertain about. False information can harm and mislead people, risking their lives. Fact-check before sharing. For more details, visit https://211check.org/ or message us on WhatsApp at +211 917 298 255. #FactsMatter.

Fact-check: Are these photos of Sudanese military general Col. Ibrahim Shemseddin?

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No, the men in the photos are Omar Zain al-Abdin, former Head of the Sudanese military council’s political committee in uniform, and Lomoni Lewan whose photo was taken in the Turkana region of Kenya.

Writer: Ochaya Jackson

A tweet with images claiming to show Sudanese military general Colonel Ibrahim Shemseddin in a malnourished state in detention is false.

One of the images is supposedly of the general in military attire, and two others are of him in detention by former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir’s regime. 

“Politics and its cruelty: “The person you see in the picture below is called Colonel Ibrahim Shemsedin. The man was Sudan’s most powerful Security Chief, locked up in underground detention by President al-Bashir’s regime”, reads the August 2, 2023 tweet. 

Screenshot of the tweet

The claim depicts a political turnaround and portrays that the military Colonel was once powerful but ended up in prison under former Sudanese president Omar Al-Bashir.

Investigation

However, a Google reverse image search established that the photos presented in the claim are of two different individuals.

The man in the military attire is Omar Zain al-Abdin, former Head of the Sudanese military council’s political committee. The photo was taken while he was addressing a press conference in 2019 after the overthrow of President al- Bashir from power.

On the other hand, the elderly, malnourished man is Lomoni Lewan. His photo was taken in the Turkana region of Kenya by BBC correspondent Ronclife Odit, who tweeted about it the same year, according to the France 24 website.

Lewan’s photo has also been used in the past claiming to show a political prisoner detained in an underground tunnel since 1995 in the Sudanese city of Omduman. However, it was fact-checked by AFP and found to be false.

According to United Press International’s (UPI) article, Col. Ibrahim Shamseddine, Sudan’s former deputy minister of defence, died in a plane crash in 2001 alongside other senior military officers during an inspection visit to Malakal.

Real photos of Colonel Ibrahim Shamssedine, source: France 24 

Conclusion:

The photos in the claim are not of Col. Ibrahim Shamseddine. The men in the photos are Omar Zain al-Abdin, former Head of the Sudanese military council’s political committee in uniform, and Lomoni Lewan whose photo was taken in the Turkana region of Kenya.

This fact check was published by 211 Check with support from Code for Africa’s PesaCheck and the African Fact-Checking Alliance.

To ensure accuracy and transparency, we at 211 Check welcome corrections from our readers. If you spot an error in this article, please request a correction using this form. Our team will review your request and make the necessary corrections immediately, if any.

It’s important to fight misinformation and disinformation in the media by avoiding fake news. Don’t share content you’re uncertain about. False information can harm and mislead people, risking their lives. Fact-check before sharing. For more details, visit https://211check.org/ or message us on WhatsApp at +211 917 298 255. #FactsMatter.

HOAX: This website offering free 50GB data to celebrate WhatsApp’s 10th anniversary is a scam

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The website is fake since WhatsApp’s 10th anniversary was celebrated in 2019

Writer: PesaCheck

This website submitted for fact-checking via PesaCheck’s WhatsApp Tipline, supposedly offering WhatsApp users 50GB of data as part of the company’s 10th anniversary, is a HOAX.

To get the purported data, participants are required to provide their phone numbers and share the link with 12 friends or in WhatsApp groups.

The website has several red flags, among them a suspicious URL, a request for personal details (phone number), and the requirement for users to share the link before receiving data. The red flags prompted us to investigate the website.

Despite PesaCheck following all the steps outlined in the alleged promotion, we did not receive the promised free data. In the final stage, the verification tab was unresponsive and repeatedly redirected us to unrelated web pages.

Additionally, we performed a Whois search and established that the website was registered on 29 January 2023, while the authentic WhatsApp website, Whatsapp.com, was registered in September 2008.

Legitimate sites are usually older than hoax sites. Bogus sites also tend to have concealed registrant details.

From left to right: a WHOIS search for the imposter vs that of the legitimate WhatsApp site.

The website claims that the free data is in celebration of WhatsApp’s 10th anniversary. However, the instant messaging application was founded in 2009 and celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2019.

On WhatsApp’s verified Twitter account and Facebook page, there’s no information on any such promotion.

PesaCheck examined a website submitted for fact-checking via PesaCheck’s WhatsApp Tipline, supposedly offering WhatsApp users 50GB of data as part of the company’s 10th anniversary celebration and found it to be a HOAX.

This fact check was published by 211 Check with support from Code for Africa’s PesaCheck and the African Fact-Checking Alliance.

To ensure accuracy and transparency, we at 211 Check welcome corrections from our readers. If you spot an error in this article, please request a correction using this form. Our team will review your request and make the necessary corrections immediately, if any.

It’s important to fight misinformation and disinformation in the media by avoiding fake news. Don’t share content you’re uncertain about. False information can harm and mislead people, risking their lives. Fact-check before sharing. For more details, visit https://211check.org/ or message us on WhatsApp at +211 917 298 255. #FactsMatter.