{"id":847,"date":"2020-05-02T13:25:29","date_gmt":"2020-05-02T13:25:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/srilanka.factcrescendo.com\/english\/?p=847"},"modified":"2022-08-29T10:05:04","modified_gmt":"2022-08-29T10:05:04","slug":"fact-check-recurring-fake-forward-message-on-whatsapp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/srilanka.factcrescendo.com\/english\/fact-check-recurring-fake-forward-message-on-whatsapp\/","title":{"rendered":"NO. WhatsApp is not releasing a video to hack your phone"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Social platforms are an ideal medium to spread hoaxes on internet by often disguising as trusted and reputed sources or websites in order to deceive the average online content consumer. Some hoaxes are spread internationally and keep resurfacing over and over again. In the past few weeks we have observed a growing number of false claims spreading on social media platforms especially via WhatsApp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A message is being circulated among WhatsApp users since lately with following narrative message.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPassing this on. I got it from a GE friend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you know anyone using WhatsApp you might pass on this. An IT colleague has advised that a video comes out tomorrow from WhatsApp called martinelli do not open it, it hacks your phone and nothing will fix it. Spread the word.
If you receive a message to update the Whatsapp to Whatsapp Gold, do not click!!!!!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please inform all contacts from your list not to open a video called the “Dance of the Pope”. It is a virus that formats your mobile. Beware it is very dangerous. They announced it today on BBC radio. Fwd this msg to as many as you can!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Link<\/a><\/td>Archived<\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Translated version of this message started circulating among WhatsApp & Facebook users in Sri Lanka as well. Below are some of the screenshots of the viral message.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FB Link<\/a><\/td>Archived Link<\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Even though many users have been skeptical about such messages and number of re-shares were comparatively low, a worrying number of FB users had shared this message as shown below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Since this message was spreading rapidly, we decided to do a fact check.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fact Check <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We carried out a Google search<\/a> about this message and came across many reports about this hoax. We studied most of the reports and noticed that similar type of a message appeared back in 2017 as well. There is no report of WhatsApp sending out videos let alone making announcement of such a video release. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This warning about \u201cMARTINELLI\u201d is a hoax, one that appears to have originated in a Spanish-language initially for which Spain Polic\u00eda Nacional has issued a tweet debunking it back at the end of July 2017<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Circula por #WhatsApp<\/a>\ud83d\udcf1 este mensaje advirtiendo sobre el "v\u00eddeo de Martinelli"\ud83d\udc49\ud83c\udffb#Stopbulos<\/a>, \u270b\ud83c\udffbno lo compartas https:\/\/t.co\/TtAb0aYNUE<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/R4aOovWAo3<\/a><\/p>— Polic\u00eda Nacional (@policia) July 29, 2017<\/a><\/blockquote>