Fact-check: Is Ecobank offering 100,000 pounds for free? No, it is a scam and should not be interacted with

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Writer: Ochaya Jackson

A claim that has been making the rounds on WhatsApp groups that Ecobank’s National Government Subsidies campaign is offering internet users the chance to win up to 100,000 South Sudanese Pounds (SSP) after correctly answering four questions, is a hoax.

“Do you know Ecobank?” one of the questions asks. “What age are you?” “What are your thoughts on Ecobank?” “Also, are you male or female?”

Despite being warned that the link is a phishing scam, several users have continued to share it in WhatsApp groups and with their contacts. This is a phishing scam, in which people pose as trustworthy companies or organizations in order to obtain personal information from victims.

Screenshot of the unrelated site’s homepage

After answering all of the questions, one is supposedly eligible to win prizes, but it then instructs people to share with five groups or twenty WhatsApp friends as conditions before claiming the prize, which is supposed to arrive within five to seven days, according to the claim.

Screenshot of a congratulatory message on the site

These links, however, are phishing scams. An investigation by 211 Check discovered that the claim is a scam from an entity or individual who is not the real Ecobank Group, and you should not click or interact with them.

A search on Google and the Ecobank Group website for National Government Subsidies yielded the result “No match found.”

Screenshot showing search results for “Ecobank National Government Subsidies”

According to publicly available information on the Ecobank Group’s website, the website where the claim about the Ecobank offer is posted does not match with the true website features of the Ecobank Group. The official Ecobank website is: https://ecobank.com/. 

The same offer has also not been shared on the social media accounts for Ecobank on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn.

211 Check also used Virustotal to examine the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) and discovered that the URL link of the claim is flagged as dangerous by five security vendors (BitDefender, G-Data, Webroot, Fortinet, and Kaspersky) as malicious [malicious, malware, and for phishing].

Screenshot of the analysis by virus total

Whois Record of the phising link versus Ecobank website:

The Ecobank domain was registered in January 1998, while the phishing link was registered in July 2022. It is always a red flag when a site was created around the time it went viral.

Screenshot showing domain information for Ecobank

Screenshot showing domain information for the phishing website

Conclusion:

211 Check concludes that there is no offer of such kind going on with the Ecobank Group.

The links being shared are scams. You should not click or interact with them. This sort of scam is called a phishing scam, which is where people pretend to be trustworthy companies or organisations in order to get personal information from victims.

Criminals use publicly available information about you online (including social media sites) to make their phishing messages more convincing.

You can reduce your chances of being phished by considering what personal information you (and others) post about yourself, as well as reviewing your privacy settings on your social media accounts.

Recognising a scam

It might be a scam if:

  • it seems too good to be true – for example, a holiday that’s much cheaper than you’d expect 
  • someone you don’t know contacts you unexpectedly
  • you suspect you’re not dealing with a real company – for example, if there’s no postal address
  • you’ve been asked to transfer money quickly
  • you’ve been asked to pay in an unusual way – for example, by Mobile Money or through a transfer service like MoneyGram or Western Union
  • you’ve been asked to give away personal information like passwords or PINs
  • you haven’t had written confirmation of what’s been agreed

Fact-check: Photo showing an incident involving South Sudanese in Kenya? No

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Writer: Jibi Moses

A Facebook post published by Sixty 4 Tribes Press claiming that dozens of South Sudanese were injured during a community association election petition in Kenya is false.

“Dozens were injured during the Warrap State Community Association election petition in Kenya after one of the candidates was cornered by goons hired by an embassy official,” partly reads the post shared on Monday, 3rd October 2022.

The Facebook post was also followed with a lot of hashtags which is a red flag for potential disinformation campaign.

The article as put by the page.

An official at the Embassy of South Sudan in Nairobi dismissed the news as false. He said there was no Warrap Community Association election held around the time of the report. 

211 Check also ran a Google reverse image search of the picture used in the post, and the results showed that the image was first used by a Kenyan Newspaper, Business Daily in an article “Tycoon’s Sons in vicious fight for control of Nairobi Ambassadeur hotel” published on Wednesday, January 18th, 2017.

The same image as used in 2017

Conclusion:

211 Check finds the Facebook post claiming that dozens South Sudanese were injured during a community association election petition in Kenya false. The Embassy of South Sudan in Nairobi dismissed the news as false and the image used in the post is of unrelated event in 2017.

Fact-check: South Sudanese woman did not confess having sexual intercourse with son to maintain riches

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A similar article alleging a Zambian woman has been in circulation since 2016.

Writer: Ghai Aketch 

An article going viral depicting that a South Sudanese woman, 42-year-old, allegedly identified as Ajak and her son, Abel, said to have been engaging in sexual intercourse every Wednesday at their residence in the Netherlands according to maintain riches, is false. 

“A 52-year-old South Sudanese woman identified as Ajak who is living in Netherland, has openly confessed to having sexual intercourse with her son in order to maintain his riches,” partly reads the claim that has been recycled since 2020. 

It has been shared in several posts here, here, here, and here on Facebook.

Screenshot of the false article

The East African Vibe website published this claim on September 27, 2022. But the same claim had earlier been shared several times by tabloids in 2020, including South Sudanese’s like the South Sudan News Agency.  

But, did a South Sudanese woman actually confess having sexual intercourse with son to maintain riches?

Internet searches by 211 Check found out that the article is false, for the original article was shared in August 2016 by the Igboho Connect News, the Nigerian Daily Post and also appeared on Nairaland Forum in August 2016. Several tabloids have since reshared the same article in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022.

Original article that first appeared in August 2016

We discovered that the first  article was edited from: “A 52-year-old Zambian woman identified as Banda Yvonne, has openly confessed to having sexual intercourse with her son in order to maintain their hard-earned riches…” to “A 42-year-old South Sudanese woman identified as Ajak has…” 

Conclusion:

The claim that a South Sudanese woman in the Netherlands confessed having sexual intercourse with her son to maintain riches is false as the story has been fabricated and doesn’t reflect real characters. A similar article alleging a Zambian woman has been in circulation since 2016.

Fact-check: Photo showing a signpost with a “Juba City Council” inscription? No, it is edited

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Writer: Emmanuel Bida Thomas

A Facebook post shared by a user on 30 September 2022 with the caption “No comments.” that appears to show a signpost with the inscription “Juba City Council” is false.

Nearly 50 people interacted with the photo, which received 18 comments and six shares. Some Facebook users, such as this one, also reposted it.

But does this photograph have anything to do with Juba or South Sudan? We double-check it:

Screenshot of misleading signpost

A reverse image search yields results for the alleged signpost, which has been a long-running internet meme with trends on Facebook and Twitter. The original post does not specify a location, but it has recently been photoshopped to imply that it is in Juba.

The photograph first appeared on this Indian website on Wednesday, December 19, 2018, with no caption. Byta FM Zambia, a Facebook page in the Radio station category, posted it in September 2019 with the caption “Keep your environment clean.”

The same signpost photo was also posted here and here.

Original photo without “Juba city Council” writing

Conclusion:

The photograph with the inscription “Juba City Council” has been altered. The original photo, which was first shared on an Indian website in December 2018, does not have such writing.

Fact-check: This incomplete document is not the official list of winners for the East African Legislative Assembly seats 

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Writer: Emmanuel Bida Thomas

South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC), a state-owned broadcaster, announced on Saturday, October 1, 2022, on its Facebook page that the speaker of the Revitalised Transitional Government of National Unity (R-TGoNU) reshuffled a list of elected members of parliament to the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) who were elected on Friday, September 30, 2022, citing an incomplete document.

The post was deleted moments later.

Screenshot of SSBC News Facebook post deleted moments later

Incomplete document cited by SSBC News

The document from the Speaker’s office was used to formally announce the results of all candidates, including those who lost. The announcement follows the original list of verified candidates. On the original list of verified candidates, each candidate was assigned a number.

Document showing original list of candidates

Election result for the 26 candidates as displayed on the assembly’s projector screen

The successful candidates were announced, and the Revitalized Transitional National Legislature confirmed the election of nine MPs to represent the country at the East African Legislative Assembly, or EALA, late on Friday.

On the same day, the clerk of the assembly listed finalists in a letter to the Secretary General of the East African Community.

Finalists in a letter addressed to the Secretary General of the East African Community

Conclusion:

211 Check considers the SSBC news post, which was later deleted, misleading. The news outlet cited an incomplete document.

Fact-check: Money impounded from a minister’s wife in Khartoum, Sudan? No, it is an old video

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The video footage is from an unrelated event in December 2021.

Writer: Emmanuel Bida

According to video footage circulating on social media and first published by a Facebook user, the wife of a South Sudanese minister was apprehended at Khartoum International Airport with millions of dollars in UN boxes today. This is false because it is an old video.

The post received over 100 interactions, including more than 50 shares and several comments.

“It is not surprising that the Minister’s wife was caught red-handed officially by Sudan Intelligence Security Agencies traveling from South Sudan with millions of dollars in boxes and has been arrested at the Khartoum International Airport (KIA) in Sudan with about $ 20 million USD in boxes marked UN,” partly reads the post that was re-shared by African press and Juba South Sudan, Facebook pages that are known for sharing false and misleading content recently.

Some social media users also shared the same video with the claim here and here.

Screenshot of the false video footage

The video, however, is quite old. A Facebook search returns versions of the same video from December 2021, claiming that $300 million in smuggled money from Sudan to South Sudan was seized at Juba International Airport. It was also used in connection with an allegation that more than $300 million USD was confiscated at Juba International Airport in December 2021.

Conclusion:

A claim that money was impounded from a minister’s wife in Khartoum, Sudan, is found to be false by 211 Check. The video is from a separate event in December 2021.

Fact-check: Was this baby born at Juba Teaching Hospital? No

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There were no babies born with anencephaly in their department on September 18, 2022, according to a member of the surgical team at Juba Teaching Hospital. He also stated that the images that are going around do not accurately depict the Juba Teaching Hospital’s obstetrics and gynecology theater.

By Beatrice Amude

Aweil Eye, a Facebook page with over 6,000 followers claimed in a post on September 18, 2022 that a mother from South Sudan had given birth to an “old man” in Juba Teaching Hospital that day.

The claim was later widely shared on Facebook; here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here as well as in encrypted messaging platforms like WhatsApp.

Screenshot of the false post by Aweil Eye

But is it true that such a baby was born at Juba Teaching Hospital? 211 Check explores its research finding here:

Reverse image search on Google returns results of the same pictures allegedly of a woman who gave birth to a mysterious child at the Makeni Regional Hospital Northern Province of Sierra Leone, but no credible media reported on the same.

More results of the Google image search seem to show the same pictures used on Twitter long before these reports, but could not link to the original tweets.

Dr. Francis Geri a Gynecologist at Vital Care Medical and also works at Juba Teaching Hospital said that the picture was not taken in South Sudan.

He, however, described the abnormality as Anencephaly. According to him, Anencephaly is when a newborn with absence of a major portion of the brain, skull and scalp occurs during embryonic development. Geri told 211 Check that the main cause of the anencephaly is folic acid deficiency.

In the comments section of the same post, Riemon Koyani, who was among the surgical team at Juba Teaching Hospital on Sunday 18th September, 2022 said he did not see any baby with anencephaly in their department that day.

“I am among the surgical team of Sunday and I didn’t see anything like this in our department, in fact I attended all the cesarean sections that day and I never saw anything of that kind,” Riemon Koyani said.

He also confirmed that the pictures circulating were not taken from Juba Teaching Hospital since they do not match obstetrics and gynecology theater views.

What is Anencephaly?

Anencephaly is the absence of a major portion of the brain, skull, and scalp that occurs during embryonic development. It is a cephalic disorder that results from a neural tube defect that occurs when the rostral (head) end of the neural tube fails to close, usually between the 23rd and 26th day following conception.

Conclusion:

211 Check finds pictures allegedly of a woman who gave birth to an “old man” at Juba Teaching Hospital false. Riemon Koyani, who was among the surgical team at Juba Teaching Hospital on Sunday 18th September, 2022 said there was no baby with anencephaly in their department that day. 

Fact-check: Suspected Ebola case in Nimule? True 

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The suspected case was identified in Nimule, Eastern Equatoria State, with similar Ebola signs. However, it’s only the laboratory test that will confirm whether he has the Ebola virus or not, according to health authorities.

By Jibi Moses


A message widely shared on WhatsApp on September 28, 2022, claimed that a suspected case of Ebola was reported in the border town of Nimule at 3 PM that day.

The claim was also viral on Facebook, as can be seen here.

“I got a call at 3pm from Nimule about an alert case of a South Sudanese, male who was coming from Morobi camp in Moyo district, spent some short time in Miligo adjumani District till the morning of that day.He was identified vomiting blod, had difficulty in breathing, had high fever, coughing and with yellow eyes as per the medical team in Nimule,” the WhatsApp message reads.

Nimule Hospital medical director Silvesto Nyumba told Radio Tamazuj that samples from the suspect, who is now in isolation, were taken to Juba for investigations, and the results are expected today, Friday.

Screenshot of the viral WhatsApp message 

When contacted by 211 Check, Kabaka Quintuous Leone, a journalist who widely reports on Eastern Equatoria State confirmed that the claim of the suspected case is true and that the suspect was put in isolation after his samples were taken to Juba for analysis.

Public urged to observe safety measures to avoid Ebola virus:

The Minister of Health, Yolanda Awel Deng, called on the public, especially travellers to embrace safety measures by regularly washing hands and other sanitary measures to avoid contracting the Ebola virus, according to a report by Eye Radio.

What is Ebola Virus Disease?

Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a deadly disease with occasional outbreaks that occur mostly on the African continent. EVD most commonly affects people and nonhuman primates (such as monkeys, gorillas, and chimpanzees). It is caused by an infection with a group of viruses within the genus Ebolavirus.

Read more about the Ebola virus disease on the websites for the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Conclusion:

The claim that there is a suspected Ebola case alert is true. The suspected case was identified in Nimule, Eastern Equatoria State, with similar Ebola signs. However, it’s only the laboratory test that will confirm whether he has the Ebola virus or not, according to health authorities.

Fact-check: Is soursop very effective in killing cancer? This claim is unproven

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Cancer Research UK does not support the use of Graviola to treat cancer. Their advice is to be very cautious about believing information or paying for any type of alternative cancer therapy on the internet because they say claims that Graviola can treat cancer are not backed up by research.

By Jibi Moses

Claims across the internet suggest that soursop, a species of the genus Annona of the custard apple tree family, Annonaceae, which has edible fruit is 10,000 times more effective in killing cancer than chemotherapy.

The claim asserts that this is based on cancer research conducted in the United Kingdom, but no authoritative source is cited.

The image with the claim that is being shared online

What is soursop?

According to an article by Rachael Link, on an online platform named Healthline titled: Soursop (Graviola): Health benefits and Uses on October 06, 2017, Soursop also known as Graviola is the fruit of Amona Muricata, a type of free native to tropical regions of the Americas and some parts in Africa.

The prickly green fruit has a creamy texture and a strong flavor that is often compared to pineapple or strawberry.  It is typically eaten raw by cutting the fruit into half and scooping out the flesh although in some parts of the world it can be made into chocolate, ice cream and tea.

A typical serving of this fruit is low in calories yet high in several nutrients like fiber and vitamin C. It also contains a small amount of niacin, riboflavin folate and iron.

Interestly many parts of the tree are medicinal including the leaves stem and fruits. It is also used in cooking and can be applied on the skin.

High in Antioxidants 

Many of the reported benefits of Soursop are due to its high content of Antioxidants. Antioxidants are compounds that help neutralize harmful compounds called free radicals which can cause damage to cells. Some research shows that the Antioxidants could play a role in reducing the risks of several diseases including heart diseases, cancer and diabetes.

It may kill cancer cells.

Although most research currently is limited to test tubes and studies, some studies have found that Soursop could potentially help eliminate cancer cells. One test tube study treated breast cancer cells with Soursop extracts. Interestly enough, it was able to reduce tumor size, kill off cancer cells and enhance activity of the immune system.  Another study looked at the effects of Soursop extract on leukemia cells, which was found to stop growth and formation of cancer cells. However,  keep in mind that these test tube studies lolog at a strong dose of soursop extracts. Further studies need to look at how eating the fruit may affect cancer in humans.

Other health benefits are: it may help in fighting bacteria,  may help reduce inflammation and in helping to stabilize sugar levels. Many online sites have much information about Soursop and its benefits and these among others are: Wikipedia, Dr.Axe,WebMD, All recipes, medical news today, natural food series 

An image of the fruit in its earlier stage on the tree

A ripe Soursop

Sliced pieces of a ripe Soursop 

What do experts say about soursop?

211 Check contacted a medical expert in Juba, to give their expert views on what they know about the fruit medically, but he “couldn’t give clear explanation citing lack of medical evidence.”

Another health expert at the University of Juba told 211 Check that “due to the fact that the fruit is an antioxidant, it helps neutralise harmful cancer cells.”

An explainer by AFP Fact Check in 2020 stated that scientists say there is insufficient evidence to prove soursop work as a natural health cure.

“While research suggests soursop can fight cancer, it has not been studied in humans. As a result, there is no evidence of its safety or efficacy,” the non-profit Cancer Treatment Centers of America states in this article published on July 13, 2017.

The Cancer Research UK charity also states in an article here that “There is not enough reliable evidence that graviola works as a treatment for cancer.” Cancer Research UK does not support the use of graviola to treat cancer. Their advice is to be very cautious about believing information or paying for any type of alternative cancer therapy on the internet.

FDA Warns Against Soursop (Graviola):

In April 2017, the Food and Drug Association (FDA) sent out warning letters to 14 companies, advising them to change or remove the fraudulent claims regarding Graviola on their websites. The FDA forwarded warning letters to all companies selling/distributing Graviola because unsubstantiated claims are made that Graviola can cure cancer.

What is Chemotherapy?

According to Wikipedia, chemotherapy often abbreviated as Chemo, CTX or CTx, is a type of cancer treatment that uses one or more anticancer drugs (chemotherapeutic agents) as part of a standardized chemotherapy regimen. Chemotherapy may be given with a curative intent or it may aim to prolong life or reduce symptoms.  It is one of the major categories of the medical disciplines specifically devoted to pharmacotherapy for cancer which is called medical oncology. The term chemotherapy has come to connote nonspecific usage of intracellular poisons to inhibit mitosis (cell division) or induce DNA damage which is why inhibition of DNA repair can augment chemotherapy.

According to Mayo clinic, chemotherapy is a drug treatment that uses powerful chemicals to kill fast-growing cells in your body. It is most often used to treat cancer since cancer cells grow and multiply more quickly than most cells in the body. However, they went ahead to explain that it’s better for other conditions like bone marrow diseases and immune system disorders.  They further elaborated more on the risks and side effects of the therapy both immediate and long lasting. 

Many medical websites have elaborate information about chemotherapy and some of them are here, here, here and here.

Conclusion:

211 Check finds the claim that Soursop is 10,000 more effective than chemotherapy unproven; it is not verifiable based on available research and scientific evidence. 211 Check believes that individuals who intend to use Soursop in any form should consult with their treating physician first.

Fact-check: The minister of finance and planning, Dier Tong not suspended

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Although social media declared him suspended, Dier Tong, the minister of finance and planning, is still in office.

By Ghai Aketch

News making the rounds on Facebook and WhatsApp allege that the sitting minister of finance and planning Dier Tong was suspended on 21 September 2022. 

“…Hon. Dier Tong suspended,” partly reads the headline of a Facebook post shared on September 21, 2022.

The post claimed that the finance minister was formally served with a suspension letter awaiting for further investigation to be conducted on Friday that week by a joint security Committee tasked by the office of the president.

Screenshot of the Facebook Post claiming that Dier Tong has been suspended

Is minister Dier Tong really suspended? 211 Check finds out:

Normally, the president announces public committees through the state-owned South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation. Mainstream media would have covered the story, which is never the case with this claim.

When contacted by 211 Check on September 28, 2022, an official at the finance and planning ministry communications department,  Maal Maker said the claim is not true and that the minister was performing his ministerial duties. 

“That is not true. Hon. Dr. Dier is doing his assignment as always,” he told 211 Check in a message reply.

In a statement the same week amidst the suspension allegations, the minister of finance and planning in an assuring tone said he was currently in his office performing his duties and was under no investigation whatsoever.

Corruption scandal claims:

A corruption scandal involving the current Finance Minister, Hon. Dier Tong, was widely reported on social media the same week, just hours before the allegations of suspension. Dier Tong was accused of wiring 15 million US dollars from the government to a personal account at the Ugandan National Bank. 

These corruption allegations were later dismissed by Dier Tong as reported by Eye Radio as unfounded.

“I was aware when I was honored with the responsibility of the Ministry of Finance and Planning that I would be facing pernicious resistance from those benefiting from the inherent weakness in our public finance system. I shall therefore, not be deterred or intimidated…” Hon. Dier Tong was quoted in his statement.

Conclusion:

Claims that the minister of finance and planning, Dier Tong has been suspended are false. A statement from his office confirms that the minister is performing his ministerial duties.