I found something interesting in IVerify - No 5-pin! The household grant advert purportedly from Ministry of Finance is fake

No 5-pin! The household grant advert purportedly from Ministry of Finance is fake

False

iVerify Zambia’s findings are that the advert did not originate from the Ministry of Finance and National Planning and the website a scam by fraudsters. The fake website was distinguished from the original as it contained a fake domain extension. Zambian Government websites have a domain extension of “gov.zm”. Furthermore, the ministry issued an alert on its official Facebook page on the fraudulent activities in the name of the ministry and that it will engage Zambia Police and ZICTA to identify and arrest the perpetrators. The statement further advised administrators of online platforms to always verify information purported to be from the Ministry to avoid abetting financial fraud or cybercrime.

# # # # #
Verified Jul, 12 2023

Claim

On July 6, 2023, a website link https://mofnp-grant.blogspot.com/ alleged to be from the Ministry of Finance and National Planning was shared for verification through the iVerify Zambia Facebook messager tipline, one of the channels iVerify Zambia uses to receive story verification requests from the public.

The link with the title, “The Ministry of Finance and National Planning Household Grant- Zambia” directed users to a website page that advertised a Five Thousand Kwacha (K5,000) Household grant for 2023 and set a deadline of 31st July 2023 for applications.

The page also stated that the Ministry of National Development Planning had launched a new household grant support for 2023 which interested individuals were encouraged to apply for by filling out the “Form Below”.

Rating Justification

iVerify Zambia has determined as false the link and advertisement for a K5000 household grant alleged to have been generated and published by the Ministry of Finance and National Planning.

iVerify Zambia examined the shared link and the associated website and discovered that the link https://mofnp-grant.blogspot.com/#1688760101870 was deceptive, leading to a scam website with an illegitimate domain. The genuine website of the Ministry of Finance and National Planning is https://www.mofnp.gov.zm/. The key distinguishing element, like in all Zambian government websites, is the domain extension “.gov.zm”.

Further verification using the Ministry’s Website and official Facebook page confirmed that the link and advertisement were fraudulent. According to a statement by the Ministry, the Minister of Finance and National Planning, Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane, stated that the Ministry had not issued any link and advertisement to the effect and that the Zambia Police Service and the Zambia Information, Communication and Telecommunications Authority (ZICTA) had since been engaged to identify and bring to book the perpetrators of this cybercrime. The statement further advised administrators of online platforms to always verify information purported to be from the Ministry to avoid abetting financial fraud or cybercrime.

Evidence and References

Articles build on this verification


Journalist Name

Story hyperlink

OUR PARTNERS

  • We work to ensure that information is effectively used to foster development by empowering communities to shape their own agenda…

    Panos

  • Bloggers of Zambia is an emerging, independent and non-profit enterprise working in Internet Governance and Digital Rights, Media Rights and Freedoms and Online Creative Content Management.

    Bloggers of Zambia

    Bloggers of Zambia

  • MISA Zambia is a membership driven organisation that believes in freedom of expression, access to information and media freedom as functions of good governance.

    MISA Zambia