SCAM ALERT Fake UNICEF South Sudan Job Offers

SCAM ALERT: These UNICEF South Sudan Career Opportunities are Fake

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The UNICEF South Sudan Communications Officer has told 211 Check that the recruitment for vacant positions allegedly by the organisation is fake, and no one should recognize it because they don’t receive job applications via email.

By Emmanuel Bida Thomas

A job posting purportedly from UNICEF South Sudan has been making the rounds on social media, advertising over 8,000 jobs in a variety of departments ranging from interns to administrators in all ten states of South Sudan.

Interested Applicants are asked to send their cover letter, CV, and National ID to an unrelated Web email, but the job advertisement bears all of the hallmarks of a scam, as have many others exposed by 211 Check.

Image of the Fake Job Advertisement

The job listings are on an image rather than the official website  of UNICEF South Sudan that is supposedly hiring. Such documents are quick and easy to set up and look official. 

The email is designed to look as though it is an official UNICEF South Sudan email, but is a free Gmail email – @gmail.com. Official UNICEF email ends in – unicef.org. 

When 211 Check contacted the UNICEF South Sudan communications office, its Communication Officer, Richard Ruati said that the recruitment for vacant positions allegedly by UNICEF South Sudan is fake, and no one should recognize it because the organisation doesn’t receive job applications via email.

“We have noticed the unfortunate job adverts purported in the name of UNICEF. Please note that these adverts, emails and slogans are fake, and no one should recognize them. UNICEF releases job adverts only on https://jobs.unicef.org/en-us/, and we don’t receive job adverts through emails,” Richard Ruati wrote in an email reply to 211 Check.

When you see a job advertised on Social Media, avoid providing personal information such as your National ID or Phone Number through unofficial emails or websites, and ensure that the link provided (if any) takes you to the organization’s official website.

To avoid becoming a victim of a job scam, use the SCAM CHECK or read what the UN Careers has to say about job SCAMS.

Conclusion:

211 Check has looked into jobs advertised in the name of UNICEF South Sudan — and finds them to be a SCAM

To know more about our fact-checking process, visit:  https://211check.org/how-to-fact-check/ or send us a WhatsApp Message at +211 917 298 255 to present a claim, our team will immediately fact-check it and send you a feedback.

Is WhatsApp Ending Tomorrow at 6 PM211 Check

Fact-Check: Is WhatsApp ‘ending tomorrow at 6 pm’? Here’s the truth

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Old hoax about WhatsApp ‘ending tomorrow at 6 pm’ circulating again in South Sudan, but here’s the truth

By 211 Check Editorial Team

The infamous Varun Pulyani WhatsApp message has reappeared. The fake message purporting to be from WhatsApp’s director, Varun Pulyani, has been circulating once more since the platform’s decision to update its privacy policy sparked outrage among users. The fake message, which has previously circulated on several occasions, claims that the platform will begin charging money unless users spread the message.

“Do not ignore please read it carefully” Hello, I am VARUN PULYANI director of whatsapp, this message is to inform all our users that we have sold whatsapp to Mark Zuckerberg for 19 billion dollars. WhatsApp is now controlled by mark zuckerberg. If you have at least 20 contacts, send this text message and your whatsapp logo will change to a new icon with the “f” of facebook in 24 hours. Forward this message to more than 10 people to activate your new whatsapp with facebook services or else your account will be removed from the new servers,” says the fake WhatsApp message.

The message goes on to say that “the platform’s servers have recently been very congested, which is why we are asking for your assistance.” This issue has been resolved. We require our active users to forward this message to each of their contacts in order to confirm our active users using WhatsApp; if you do not forward this message to all of your contacts, WhatsApp will begin charging you, (SIC).”

“If you do not send this message to all your contacts, WhatsApp will then start to charge you. Your account will remain inactive with the consequence of losing all your contacts,” the message reads

Users should be aware, however, that there is no Varun Pulyani in WhatsApp, and that the platform only disseminates information through its official blog or social media handles. VARUN PULYANI is not, and has never been, a WhatsApp director. The message that is going around is a hoax. 

Debunked in 2012 and many times since

A simple search on Google shows that different versions of this message have been circulating for at least nine years. 

And they’ve been debunked several times. One of the latest reports was a January 2020 fact-check by Africa Check and an October 2021 report by DataQuest. At the time, a post on the WhatsApp blog dismissed the messages as “a hoax”.

WhatsApp advisory on hoax messages

On its website, WhatsApp advises users that unwanted messages from unauthorised third parties try to “deceive you and prompt you to act in a certain way.” It lists four signs of hoax messages:

  • The sender claims to be affiliated with WhatsApp.
  • The message content includes instructions to forward the message.
  • The message claims you can avoid punishment, like account suspension, if you forward the message.
  • The message content includes a reward or gift from WhatsApp or another person.

South Sudan WhatsApp users are being targeted by this hoax, but when you receive a scam message, WhatsApp advises that you block the sender, disregard the message and delete it. – 211 Check

Conclusion:

211 Check, therefore, concludes that the WhatsApp message and audio circulating are a HOAX, disregard the message and do not forward it further.

To know more about our fact-checking process, visit:  https://211check.org/how-to-fact-check/ or send us a WhatsApp Message at +211 917 298 255 to present a claim, our team will immediately fact-check it and send you a feedback.

COVID-19 Check Fact - Check Image Template211 Check

Do Covid-19 Vaccines Cause Female Infertility?

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By Charles Lotara

On 30th September 2021, the government of South Sudan completed the inoculation of the second consignment of the COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccine. Out of the 59,520 doses, 59,224 were used while 296 expired according to Mabior Kiir Kudior, the Chief of Planning and Information at the Ministry of Health.

However, the government says the rate of turn up for the vaccine was alarmingly low among women. Of the total population vaccinated so far, women account for only 26.4 percent as compared to 73.6 rate among their male counterparts.

The reluctance by women to take the jab was attributed to claims that COVID-19 vaccine causes infertility and that this particular side effect was more adverse in females as the vaccine complicates the reproductive system.

“There are continued misconceptions and myths surrounding COVID-19 and our people don’t adhere to the vaccine and also people do not have the willingness to take the vaccine,” Mabior Kiir Kudior lamented in an interview with The City Review.

Infertility myth

The claim that COVID-19 vaccines breed infertility started in December 2020 after a German epidemiologist said the vaccines might make women’s bodies resistant to protein that is connected to placenta, and hence, making women infertile.

His thought was based on the perspective that the genetic code of the placenta protein, called syncytin-1, shares a hint of similarity with the genetic code of the spike protein in COVID-19. If the vaccines caused our bodies to make antibodies to protect us from COVID-19, he thought, they could also make antibodies to reject the placenta.

However, D’Angela Pitts, a maternal medicine specialist at America-based Henry Ford Health System dismissed the claim calling it “inaccurate”.

“It’s inaccurate to say that COVID-19’s spike protein and this placenta protein share a similar genetic code. The proteins are not similar enough to cause placenta to not attach to an embryo,” she said.

The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention also disproved the claim. CDC says “COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for everyone 12 years of age and older, including people who are trying to get pregnant now or might become pregnant in the future, as well as their partners.”

No reports on COVID-19-induced infertility

According to the South Sudan Ministry of Health, there have been and are still no reports of women who reported an incident of failed pregnancy after getting vaccinated for the coronavirus.

On 15th September 2021, Dr. Victoria Anib Majur, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Health, appealed to women to turn up for inoculation assuring them that both Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca vaccines are safe.

“I want to make a call to women out there that Johnson and Johnson and AstraZeneca are safe and effective vaccines against COVID-19 prevention. I want to encourage you not to listen to rumors out there that the vaccines cause infertility; the vaccines do not cause infertility,” Anib told 211 Check.

Conclusion:

We rate the claim that the COVID-19 vaccine causes female infertility as FALSE because it is not supported by our research. Experts say getting the COVID-19 vaccine doesn’t trigger an immune response leading to female infertility.

To know more about our fact-checking process, visit:  https://211check.org/how-to-fact-check/ or send us a WhatsApp Message at +211 917 298 255 to present a claim, our team will immediately fact-check it and send you a feedback.

211 Check Fact - Check Image Template211 Check

Fact check: A Misleading Video of an Army Vehicle that Overturned in Flood Waters.

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By Emmanuel Bida Thomas

A video of an army vehicle being carried away by flood waters going viral on Messenger, WhatsApp, and elsewhere on social media is lodging a claim that the incident happened in Luri area of Juba County in Central Equatoria State last week.

“This happened in Luri last week,” reads a comment on the video.

The video of what appears to be a military vehicle crossing a stream of fast running water did not originate in South Sudan. While it is true that four soldiers were killed and sixteen others injured while attempting to cross the Luri River on 25th September 2021, the video circulating is not of that incident.

Find out why:

A reverse image search of the fragmented key frames of the video, returned several posts on Facebook and TikTok where the video was used. The earliest being April 29, 2020. It was reused in early August this year as seen in this link. The incident is thought to have happened in N’Djamena, Chad with the vehicle belonging to the Chadian army.

Using visual clues, we are able to tell that the branding of the vehicle in the video is not being used by organised forces in South Sudan.

The environment surrounding the stream doesn’t also look like that of Luri in Juba.

Conclusion:

211 Check, therefore, concludes that the video circulating is misleading and is not of an incident that happened in Juba, South Sudan.

To know more about our fact-checking process, visit:  https://211check.org/how-to-fact-check/ or send us a WhatsApp Message at +211 917 298 255 to present a claim, our team will immediately fact-check it and send you a feedback.

Radio Miraya misquotes Yei Commissioner, tweeted that Yei airstrip lounge project will cost $600,000

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Author: 211 Check Editorial Team

Intensive investigative findings have revealed that UN radio misquoted Yei Commissioner over the local airstrip construction project.

On Wednesday this week, Radio Miraya tweeted that the construction work of Yei airstrip lounge would cost $600,000.

The below tweet caused uproar on social media, with many South Sudanese netizens criticizing why a small construction project would cost such a huge amount of money. 

The criticisms surfaced intensively on social media when pictures of the airstrip lounge’s foundation work emerged on Facebook and Twitter.

The project also left many online users wanting to know the details of the company contracted by the government to implement such a controversial project. 

Miraya’s misleading tweet

But when fact-checked, it was identified that the lounge construction cost is not worth $600,000, as reported by Radio Miraya.

Yei River County Commissioner, Aggrey Cyrus told Radio Miraya in an interview that the $600,000 included subsequent expansion and upgrade of the Yei airstrip to an airport, not only the pre-boarding facility (waiting lounge).

In addition, Tent Makers International – a religious company contracted by the government, refuted the claims that it was offered $600,000 for the project. It, however, revealed that it is using its own cash to construct a preliminary waiting lounge, as it continues to lobby for huge funds to implement the whole project. 

TMI’s statement over the issue

In a recent fact-check issued by Radio Miraya an hour ago, the media house said the lounge is estimated to cost $30,000 for a space provided to sit 50 air-passengers, according to the Archbishop Evangelical Presbyterian Church – a fact contrary to the first statement which stated that the lounge would accommodate 60 travelers.

Miraya’s Fact Check

Is the video of a Chinese assaulting an African engineer from South Sudan – report states NO!

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Author: Emmanuel Bida

The current trending video about a one-on-one fight between two men at a construction site didn’t happened in South Sudan as stated, according to 211 Check investigations.

In the past forty-eight hours, there has been a video circulating online, in which a Chinese man is seen attacking an African engineer at what seems to be a construction site.

But is the video from South Sudan? No.

The trending video

In the now/above video trending on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, 211 Check found out that the incident didn’t happened in South Sudan as being claimed by many online users.

The occurrence happened at Tonkolili Iron Ore mine in Sierra Leone, where a Chinese miner reportedly attacked a Sierra Leonean Safety Officer, while was carrying out safety briefing. The reason behind the attack is not clear.

The Chinese Rail Way Seventh Group (CRSG) and Kingho Mining Company limited have both on June 9, 2021 issued press statements condemning the act, saying the conflict was “an expected and isolated case”.

The statement obtained by 211 Check states that the Chinese man has since been relieved of his duty as seen below statement.

Statement

#FactsMatters

Avoid sharing fake fabricated content. To know more about our fact-checking process, click, https://211check.org/how-to-fact-check/ or contact us via 211check.org to present a claim – our team will immediately fact-check it and send you an immediate feedback.

South Sudan’s ambassador to China isn’t suffering from AstraZeneca vaccine complications

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Author: Garang Abraham

South Sudan’s ambassador to China John Andruga Duku is appealing to the public to disregard the trending news that he is suffering from AstraZeneca vaccine related complications after receiving the jab.

According to a Facebook post seen by 211 Check, It’s alleged that Amb. Andruga is admitted at a Nairobi hospital after suffering from complications related to AstraZeneca jab, he took days.

“Oxford AstraZeneca doses need to be investigated for its safety and immunogenicity. See what happens to South Sudan ambassador to China #John Andruga Duku after receiving the Oxford AstraZeneca Covid-19 jab” reads the misleading post shared by some online Alternative Media houses and other Facebook and WhatsApp users.

The below image bears the deceptive post.

Misleading post

However, when fact-checked, the posts were identified as misleading and fabricated content, as explained below.

Facts why the posts are misleading.

Fact No. 1

Ambassador John Andruga who was discharged recently from Nairobi Hospital is suffering from varicose veins, not from jab’s complications as stated.

“I had surgery on both legs due to bilateral varicose veins with multiple incompetent perforations with a statis ulcer. As a result emergency bilateral multiple ligations and stripping of the varicose veins was done.

“Prof Dr.John Adwok referred me to Dr John  K. Karuiki  who acted promptly with Dr J. Gohl  performed successfuly emergency surgery. I am now recovering at home with my family in Nairobi. Due high medical bill, I am discharged to continue medication from home” Amb. Andruga told 211 Check this afternoon.

Fact No. 2

According to Amb. Andruga, he has not received any Covid-19 vaccination.

“I did not get any of the vaccine of Covid-19 up to now. The causes for the swelling on by each leg was explained by the doctors as bilateral varicose veins with multiple incompetent perforations with statis ulcer” Amb. Andruga added.

Fact No. 3 About the sickness he is suffering from

According to pictures seen and narratives received by 211 Check, Andruga’ illness isn’t associated with any Covid-19 vaccine conditions. As he stated in his message, the sickness is purely correct and relevant, according to our online findings from prominent global medical schools and institutions.

According to Wikipedia: Varicose veins, also known as varicoses, are a medical condition in which superficial veins become enlarged and twisted. These veins typically develop in the legs, just under the skin. Varicose veins usually cause few symptoms.

EVIDENCE: You can compare and contrast Wikipedia’s image bearing short details of varicose veins, with pictures bearing Amb. Andruga’s feet taken at Nairobi Hospital. The conditions varicose veins in both images are similar.

Wikipedia’s short details of Varicose veins
Ambassador’s feet due to varicose veins

Ambassador goes mad over information sharing: Amb. John claims that a renowned journalist working in a top government office shared his pictures without consent, lamenting ill-intentions towards him.

“I was surprised who put the pictures, why and how did the person get the pictures which I sent privately to my Minister to inform her despite surgery and swelling of both my legs” said angry Andruga.

Ambassador goes live to address the speculations: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1O-gKk9lgatiuX3fjul67kghT1MEZYzdO

#FactsMatter, don’t fall victim to fake news; let’s fight the spread of misinformation on both mainstream and alternative media.

To know about our fact-checking process, check the link below, https://211check.org/how-to-fact-check/ or contact us via 211check.org to present a claim – our team will immediately fact-check it and send you immediate feedback.

Fact Checked: Was the giraffe killed by a passenger plane in South Sudan?

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Author: Emmanuel Bida

Online fact findings have indicated that there was no occurrence that led to the killing of a giraffe by a passenger plane in South Sudan. 

On May 6th, a Twitter user posted a picture of a dead giraffe that collided with a passenger plane. 

The tweet was caption “Only in South Sudan”, which according to our analysis literally meant the Twitter user was reporting, that the incident happened in South Sudan, as seen in the below picture. 

The misplaced post

211 Check findings found out that the alleged image implying the event to have happened in South Sudan, is for an incident involving Pilot Tico McNutt, a researcher for African Wild Dogs that collided with a giraffe at Santawani airstrip in Botswana close to Maun Okavango Delta.

According to Aviation Safety Network, the event that occurred on October 4, 2004 left the giraffe dead. The Cessna 172, with registration V5-ETS crashed while taking off.

Fortunately, out of the four occupants, there were no fatalities reported, except the pilot who sustained minor injuries.

CONCLUSION: The incident didn’t happen in South Sudan.

#FactsMatter, Don’t fall victim to fake news; let’s fight the spread of misinformation on both mainstream and alternative media.

Note: To avoid spreading false information, don’t rush into sharing content that you aren’t sure of or you don’t know its origin.

To know about our fact-checking process, check the link below, https://211check.org/how-to-fact-check/  or contact us via www.211check.org to

More links:

https://www.montanaoutdoor.com/2013/08/runway-collision-with-cessna-and-giraffe/
https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/43570

Hoax Alert: Madam Atong Foundation Scholarship is a scam, don’t apply!

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Author: 211 Check editorial team

Rigorous findings carried out by 211 Check crew have identified the notorious online Madam Atong Foundation Scholarship as fraud and deceitful page established to scam desperate South Sudanese and Sudanese students seeking scholarships online.  

According the investigations, a Facebook page named “Sudanese Scholarship 2020-2025.Madam Atong Foundation” has been making announcements bearing ‘fully funded’ scholarships to South Sudanese and Sudanese Students to study abroad.

The fraud page was created on July 27, 2020, and is primarily managed by three people in Uganda.

It on Sunday [23rd of May] made another announcement calling for applicants to seek scholarship abroad. The below screenshot bears the call for applications.

However, when fact-checked by 211 Check, the so-called “Madam Atong Foundation” is untruthful platform intended to extract money from anxious students in search of scholarship opportunities to study abroad.

Below are facts that show the page is a fraud.

Fact #1: No legitimate website and physical location

The so-called foundation doesn’t have a legitimate website from which its ‘the about information’ can be obtained. Though, the scammers claim to have a physical location at Bungoma district (a Kenyan border town neighboring Uganda) next to Electoral Commission Building, they don’t actually have an office there.

Fact #2: No legal existence

When 211 Check contacted the Uganda NGO Bureau, the prominent NGO institution said it not aware of such an organization. Refugee authorities have also denied working with Madam Atong Foundation that claims it offers scholarships to mainly to refugees in Uganda. In addition, Uganda’s list of non-governmental organizations operated in Uganda, Madam Atong Foundation can not be mentioned

Fact #3: Weaponized context:

Most of the images used on their Facebook Page are not in any way related to events of a so-called “Madam Atong Foundation”. Through Reverse Image Search, most of the pictures are of different events not of their activities as claimed. For example, one of the images used by the foundation, describing students to be lining for scholarship procedures in its office, is an image of truck drivers entering Kenya queue to be tested for Covid-19. The picture was taken by Brain Inganga, United States Associated Press journalist. See the below image to verify.

Fact #4: No Application Fully Funded Scholarships

As we all know, application processes for fully funded scholarships don’t need money. However, when contacted, the Madam Atong Foundation demanded cash of about $200 at the initial stages, even before you see the application form.

They usually want the money to be sent via MTN Uganda via Mobile Money to +256770671123 registered with the ANNE THEREZA KIGENI. Below are the contacts of institutions the organization requires the cash to be sent through. Its unfortunate Uganda’s prominent Centenary Bank is mentioned as well.

Fact #5: Errors in communication

Most of the communication shared by the administrators of this foundation have misspellings and grammatical mistakes – something a legitimate and reputable organization rarely commit.

Conclusion:

211 Check deep research findings suggest that there is no organization such as Madam Atong Foundation anywhere in the world. This is just a fake/fraud page designed to extract money from people who may fall victims.

Don’t be misled, don’t misinform others, avoid sharing such scams. Share this story with your network in order to save others from being scammed.  

To know more about fact checking, visit www.211check.org. Present a claim or rumor, it will be fact-checked, verified and immediately and resend back in a timely manner.

Disregard the trending 5,000 SSP banknote, its fake!

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By: 211 Check Editorial Team

South Sudan’s Central Bank appeals to online and offline communities to disregard the trending 5,000 South Sudanese Pounds bank note. 

This comes after many online users expressed concerns, why the bank would introduce the new note, yet the recently launched 1000 SSP bank note had not met its intertest.  

This week, a picture of a five thousand South Sudanese Pounds note (5,000SSP) went viral online on various social media platforms. Many users alleged that the Central Bank of South Sudan had plans underway to print the note which it intends to bring into circulation.

However, after 211 Check fact-checked and verified the bank note critically and carefully, the team found the image as manipulated. 

Below are the facts explaining why it is fake.

Fact #1: The figure “5” is not consistent (different font) with the 5 SSP, 50 SSP, and 500 SSP that all have the same fonts. 

In addition, the “5” looks misplaced darker than the zeros. It has also the same graphic design as the 10 SSP note. Therefore, a doctored image of the 10 SSP note.

Fact #2: There was no official communication from the Central Bank of South Sudan, stating plans of launching a new note.

Speaking at a press briefing today (Tuesday), Central Bank Governor, Dier Tong dismissed the social media rumors. He described the trending banknote as misinformation and fake banknote. 

In February this year, the same fake bank note surfaced online. But the Central Bank governor dismissed it, stressing that the bank had only launched the 1000 SSP note. 

To know about our fact-checking process check the link below, https://211check.org/how-to-fact-check/ or contact us via 211check.org to present a claim – our team will immediately fact-check it and send you an immediate feedback.