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Fact Check: WhatsApp Forwards Claim Scamsters Pretending As Home Affairs Officials Are Looting Houses
Writer: Aditi Chattopadhyay
Aditi, part of the fact checking team of The Logical Indian likes to read, write, cook and laugh, in short live life as it is supposed to be. What makes her fascinated is to discover the truth behind a story and more often than not, it is either fact or myth at the end.
India, 5 Sep 2020 9:52 AM GMT
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The Logical Indian Fact check team investigates the claim that people are posing as home affairs officials and looting houses.
A WhatsApp forward warns about potential scammers who pretend to be census officials collecting data for the Ayushman Bharat scheme and loot homes.
Below is the entire message:
High Security Alert: *
Beware, one such group is going home and pretending to be a Home Affairs Officer. They have the documents in the letterhead department of the home ministry and claim to confirm that everyone has a valid identity card for the upcoming census.
They are looting houses. Note that there is no such initiative from the government. Send this to your neighborhood group chat. They are everywhere and they look presentable. Please alert your family and friends.
A person comes home and says * I want to take your photo / thumbprint * under the scheme 'Ayushyaman Bharat'. They have a laptop, a biometric machine and a list of all her names. They are showing a list and asking for all this information. It has been pointed out that all this is bogus. Don't give him any information. I am sending this post for everyone's information. Everyone should be alert and tell those who are not in the group.
The Logical Indian received a request to verify the message.
Claim:
People are posing as home affairs officials and looting houses.
Fact Check:
The claim is false. No reports from India were found on any victim to this apparent scam, or any government advisory warning against it.
The message has several errors related to the name of the government departments and the scheme mentioned.
In the WhatsApp Forward, Ministry of Home Affairs is referred to as Department of Home Affairs. The Ayushman Bharat health scheme is spelt as 'Ayushyaman' Bharat.
Further, the official dates for census have not been announced yet by the government.
Reportedly, Census 2021 is going to be delayed due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Similar forward were viral earlier as well. In 2017, the Department of Home Affairs from South Africa had issued a warning against such a scam.
If you have any news that you believe needs to be fact-checked, please email us at factcheck@thelogicalindian.com or WhatsApp at 6364000343
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