A fake social media post, claiming to provide post-disaster relief for children affected by the flood.

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Various misleading and fake news are being published and shared through social media platforms regarding the recent disaster that affected Sri Lanka. This is a fact check we did regarding one such post.

Social Media Posts :

A social media post was published with the caption, “If there are children under 18 who have lost their parents due to the flood, please inform us. We’re ready to take responsibility for their education, food, and safety until they come of age, regardless of nationality or religion.

International Human Rights Global Operations, Child and Women’s Unit.”:

Facebook | Facebook

We conducted a fact-check on this to verify the credibility of the post. 

Fact Check :

We checked the mainstream media platforms to confirm whether this initiative was taken through an intervention by a responsible institution or authority in the country. None of the mainstream media outlets reported on this, and it was not verified by a responsible institution or authority.

Is “International Human Rights Global Operations” a real organization?

There is no credible evidence that “International Human Rights Global Operations, Children and Women’s Unit” is a registered, active NGO or government agency in Sri Lanka. It is not listed as a registered NGO in Sri Lanka.

ngosec.gov.lk

We tried to contact the organization through the phone number mentioned, but the number was disconnected.

It can be risky to share the names, locations, and family details of children who were left alone with the disaster via WhatsApp with an unverified party. Often, these fake groups show up as “rescue” or “relief” groups to collect personal information. If such a message is not from an official government agency or well-known, registered agency, it should be considered suspicious.

The Ministry of Women and Child Affairs had also issued an official statement stating that the message is a false message. They confirmed that the message has been created and distributed by fake data collectors and traffickers.

The statement further states that it has been observed that a large number of text messages are circulating on social media platforms, including WhatsApp and Facebook, claiming to provide relief to the people affected by Cyclone Ditwa and collecting personal information of the affected people. However, the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs is systematically collecting the data required for providing post-disaster relief services through field officers and Grama Niladharis attached to District Secretariats, and therefore, the public is advised not to be fooled by such fake messages and to refrain from sharing their personal information with such parties. You can view the official statement here. 

The announcement, which was issued by the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs was also re-announced by the Government Information Department. You can view it from here.

Accordingly, the media reported the relevant announcement issued by the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs, and the Department of Government Information as follows.

Do not share personal information on the Internet

If you know of children who have lost their parents or are in danger due to floods, contact the official child protection authorities. Contact the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA): 1929 or visit their website. Never post the names, photos, addresses, or contact numbers of affected children or families on social media or WhatsApp groups. We request you not to fall for such fake scams that collect personal information of disaster victims under the pretext of providing relief during the post-disaster period and to follow the information provided through verified official sources. Since the necessary relief for the disaster victims is provided through a formal procedure through the District and Divisional Secretariats and Grama Niladharis, you can get the right guidance by contacting the relevant authorities and visiting the relevant institutions.

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Conclusion: 

Our investigation shows that the post being shared, claiming to provide disaster relief and collecting personal information of the victims, is a false message. A number of text messages and posts claiming to provide relief to the people affected by Cyclone Ditwa and collecting personal information of the victims are circulating on social media, including Facebook and WhatsApp. We urge the public not to fall for such fake messages and to refrain from sharing their personal information with such parties.