Circulating on WhatsApp, a click on the link opens to a webpage showing the logo of the airline and a welcome message that reads; “Congratulations! Saudia Airlines Ramadan Government Welfare Subsidy. Through the questionnaire, you will have a chance to get GH$9,368.00.”
A screengrab of the phishing link on WhatsApp
The phishing link is likely exploiting the ongoing Ramadan period to lure unsuspecting individuals and gullible WhatsApp users.
Fact-Check
Clicking on the URL opens a homepage showing the logo of Saudi Airlines, a test for users to prove their knowledge of the airline history and further share their biodata including age and gender.
A screenshot of 2 webpages after clicking on the phishing link
Gullible users are subsequently asked to share the link with five other groups or 20 friends together with their addresses to complete registration, with a promise to receive the cash reward in five to seven days.
A screenshot of some webpages after clicking on the phishing link
GhanaFact checks show the phishing link URL is not the same as the website of Saudi Airlines. The official Saudi Airlines website was registered in August 1997 in the United States of America by the Perfect Privacy Llc while the phishing link was registered in Israel.
Additionally, a scan conducted on virustotal.com, which assesses documents and links for potential threats, identified a security vendor flagging the link as malicious.
A screenshot of the results after running a scan of the phishing link on virustotal.com
Verdict
The claim Saudia Airlines is offering Ghanaians an opportunity to win a cash reward as part of a Ramadan Welfare Subsidy programme is a HOAX.
