Fact Check: WHO is not giving cash award under Covid relief plan

"Today you will have the opportunity to receive an award from the World Health Organisation: New Coronavirus vaccine fund of INR 50,000 to 100,000 rupee. In response to the global new crown epidemic relief plan, we choose 10,000 people day and give them a cash relief(sic)," reads the message

FACT CHECK:

This message is a hoax. No such cash awards are being given by WHO.

At the end of the message, a link has been attached asking people to click on it for "receiving awards". However, this is not an official link and is not connected to WHO. Secondly, this link no longer works and the site cannot be reached.

We checked for news articles on the same, but found none. On the official website, WHO clarifies that the organization never asks for money for recruitment, does not charge registration fees for conferences or meetings and neither does it conduct lotteries, or offer prizes or awards through email.

"WHO suggests that recipients do not send money or personal information in response to invitations from anyone who claims to be awarding jobs, funds, grants, scholarships, certificates, lottery winnings, or prizes, and/or who requests payment for registration fees and hotel room reservations in the name of WHO," reads WHO clarification.

The government has also clarified that WHO is not giving any such monetary rewards from the new coronavirus vaccine fund. It reads: "This message is #FAKE. It is a malicious attempt to get personal information".

Social media users are advised to be aware of such fake links as it is an attempt to hack into electronic devices and steal personal information.

Evidently, the Whatsapp message is a hoax. WHO is not giving cash rewards from the new coronavirus vaccine fund.