CLAIM: World Food Programme providing cash assistance through questionnaire, $800 at stake
SOURCE: Social Media (WhatsApp)
VERDICT: FALSE, the organisation is not offering any cash assistance through such a process. It’s a scam.
A message supposedly from the World Food Programme (WFP) has gone viral on WhatsApp, claiming that the non-governmental organisation is giving people of 18 years and above an opportunity to walk away with $800 after answering four questions.
These questions are, “Do you know World Food Programme?”, “How old are you?”, “What do you think of the World Food Programme?” and “Are you a male or female?”
After answering these questions, another portal appears where you are ‘congratulated’ and made to choose three boxes out of a set of nine. One of the boxes has a US$800 prize and one is then told that they will receive the money within five to seven days.
While the WFP does give money to people in 72 countries including Somalia, Yemen and Afghanistan, the process is not random but is part of existing programmes with identified beneficiaries.
Red flags to note
- The link is not owned by WFP, the organisation’s website can be found here and there is no such scheme on the website.
- Once one clicks on the message link, they are taken to a completely unrelated site.
- The grammar is off.
- Everyone is declared a winner after answering the set questions.
- Individuals are required to send the link to their WhatsApp contacts for them to receive the money, which is typical of scams.
Stay safe online
- Avoid opening unsolicited and random links
- Stop forwarding chain messages
- Pay attention to ‘http’ and ‘https’ and avoid the former.
- Never enter your credit card number or any other personal/business information in an http website.
- Before your ebanking logins, make sure that the name just before “.com” is the name of your bank.
Conclusion
The WFP is not giving away US$800 to individuals as claimed by a link being shared on social media. WFP only gives money to beneficiaries on existing programmes identified through the organisation’s channels and partners.
