IN AN era where misinformation can spread rapidly, it is crucial to verify claims that seem too good to be true.
Recently, social media has been abuzz with messages claiming that the government is providing RM350 of eMadani aid monthly to certain income groups.
Is there any substance to this claim about financial assistance?
Verdict:
FALSE
The claim that the government is distributing RM350 of eMadani aid monthly is false and part of a phishing tactic.
The circulated message includes a link that directs users to a fake website designed to steal personal information.
In reality, the government gave out eMadani aid in 2023, but it was a one-time payment of RM100, distributed as e-wallet credit to individuals earning below RM100,000 annually.
Reports indicated that the false message, widely shared on WhatsApp, includes a link for claiming the supposed aid, with the original sender claiming successful receipt and encouraging others to verify their status.
Checks have found several inconsistencies, such as spelling and grammatical errors uncommon among locals, and discrepancies in the amount.
The link claims RM350, but the URL shows RM200, and it uses a suspicious ".dev" domain, unlike official government URLs, which end in ".gov.my".
The Communications Ministry has advised the public not to trust links that do not use the.gov.my domain, as scammers often distribute fake links to collect personal data.
According to Malwarebytes Labs, "pages.dev" URLs are commonly associated with phishing scams intended to extract sensitive information like passwords and bank details.
Clicking the link takes the user to a form requesting personal information, including a dodgy-looking MyKad image and awkward phrasing.
Language options cannot be switched, and filling the form with false information prompts a request for a one-time password, Telegram password and banking details.
The false aid claim is similar to fraudulent messages from last year, featuring various amounts of purported aid, all of which have been debunked.
The National Security Council and Finance Ministry have also dismissed these messages as hoaxes.
Source: MyCheck.my
