There are rumors going around the internet that a German television host discovered a large-scale financial fraud in Pakistan. The scam involves donations from Dubai intended for poor schoolchildren being stolen and used to buy opulent goods.
These assertions are untrue, though.
Make an assertion
The logo of Germany-based DW News was featured in a 52-second video that was shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, on May 18.
A narrator posing as a DW reporter accuses Shehr Bano, a Pakistani woman, of misusing money that was supposed to be used to feed poor children in her country, but instead was obtained from Dubai. Outcry over financial oversight in charitable activities was sparked by the narrator’s allegations that funds intended for children were misappropriated for personal luxury.
- Almost 161,000 people have seen the post so far.
- The purported news article was also circulated here, here, and here.
Real
The German news outlet DW has not carried any report of this kind.
The footage seen in the online video was taken from a Voice of America news report that was published on April 29, 2016, according to a combined keyword and Google reverse image search. The original report highlighted Mohammad Ayub, a Pakistani educator who worked with impoverished kids in an Islamabad park.
Another DW journalist who wished to remain anonymous confirmed the information.
He claimed via messages, “We definitely did not report on [this topic]. This video does not carry our font or our design.”
Protect Yourself From Scams in Pakistan
- Avoid clicking on links or attachments in SMS messages, and report any suspicious texts you receive.
- Be wary of requests for money or personal information. Never give someone you don’t know or trust your bank account information, ATM or PIN information, online account information, or copies of your personal documents.
- It is advisable to alert your loved ones about con artists.
- Sending money should be stopped if you are unsure that you are being scammed. Scammers will never stop requesting money from you.
- Scammers should be contacted right away by your bank and the police if you have sent money or given them your banking information. With your account details in hand, the scammer might be able to cancel your account or halt a transaction.
