Fact-check: African Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum 2024 WhatsApp hoax

The organisation has said that the WhatsApp message with a website link claiming to advertise the African Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum 2024 is a scam.

Writer: Makur Majeng

A WhatsApp message widely shared in groups and private chats claiming to offer grants to African women for innovation and entrepreneurship is a hoax.

“Payments have just started for all applicants. Register to be one of the beneficiaries.

Strictly for students and business owners,” the WhatsApp message partly reads.

The website prompts users to fill out an application form and share the link with friends or groups on WhatsApp, causing a stir among potential applicants.

Screenshot of the viral WhatsApp message 

The website then asks users to enter personal information, such as gender, name, phone number, country, and region/state/county. After submitting this information, users are told that their application has been received and are asked to click “CHECK” to confirm whether they can receive funds. The website also claims that the number of applicants is limited.

The screenshot of its web pages

Upon clicking “CHECK,” users must validate their name, choose a purpose, whether a student or a business owner and provide their current educational level. After completing this step, users are prompted that their application has been approved to receive the grant and are shown guidelines on how to proceed. The guidelines ask individuals to share information about the program with 15 friends or five groups on WhatsApp.

Claim Verification:

211 Check has found out that the website in question is not affiliated with the African Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF), as it claims to be. The official AWIEF website has no information about a 2024 empowerment grant and has warned about scammers using its name for fraud.

“We have received reports of a scam message being circulated about an AWIEF “Grant”. Please be aware that this is not in any way a communication from AWIEF. Kindly refrain from acting on, disclosing information or forwarding the message,” AWIEF said in a statement shared on its website.

The website has also been flagged as malicious by Virustotal, indicating that it could be a phishing attempt. 

The request to share the information with WhatsApp is an example of engagement bait, a technique used to manipulate social media users.

The WHOIS information for the purported website shows that it was registered on September 3, 2023, in Arizona, United States (abbreviated as US) and will expire on September 3, 2024.

Screenshot showing Whois information of the impostor website

On the other hand, the WHOIS information on the AWIEF website reveals that its domain was registered on August 5, 2015, and will expire on August 5, 2024.

Screenshot showing Whois information on the AWIEF website

It has also been fact-checked by AfricaCheck here.

Conclusion:

211 Check finds a viral WhatsApp message claiming that the African Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum is offering a 2024 Empowerment Grant a hoax. The official organisation, AWIEF, has warned about fraudulent activities and has cautioned individuals to refrain from sharing personal information or forwarding such messages.

A publication under 211 Check’s ‘Fact-check for a pay’ Initiative with Support from the International Fact-checking Network through the BUILD grant.

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