MILLICENT HUNGWE
Masvingo – A sponsored video which has gone viral on Facebook depicting Econet mogul Strive Masiyiwa and President Mnangagwa encouraging Zimbos to invest without sweat is fake, ZimFact has confirmed.
The video which claims that President Mnangagwa and billionaire Masiyiwa have launched a cryptocurrency platform called CryptoExplodeAI where one can invest very little and get $400 in a day while seated at home has been exposed as fake by ZimFact experts.
The fake article, which falsely promises Zimbabweans a chance to earn at least USD $400 in 24 hours, has been circulating on Facebook for over a month now claiming the initiative is a joint effort by the President and Masiyiwa to “improve the country’s economy” and create wealth for ordinary citizens.
ZimFact, however, has exposed this as a scam.
In the mimicked video, President Mnangagwa declares how the investment platform is fully licensed, generating stable income and thereby achieving financial liberty for citizens.
Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) board chairman Charles Munganasa told The Midweek Watch that those who made the video are fraudsters, using AI to fleece innocent people.
“Please note that this is not a ZBC video, but an AI-generated fraudulent video and the public must be careful with such AI-generated videos,” he said.
ZRP National Spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi said they have not received any complaints or reports on people fleeced through the video.
According to Great Zimbabwe University (GZU) communication lecturer Dr. Gift Gwindingwe, addressing journalists on World Press Freedom Day celebrations said, “One of the challenges caused by AI is deepfake-generated content designed to mimic the appearance or voice of a person, an AI tool is used to imitate someone’s identity.
“When fiction begins to dilute reality, it leads to disinformation.
“This type of content is difficult to distinguish from authentic information, and gullible readers may be misled.
“This manipulated content alters existing material, which can distort facts and create confusion among audiences.”
However, the public is advised to be cautious of online investment schemes that promise fast and guaranteed returns.
The public must always verify information through trusted news sources and avoid sharing personal details on suspicious websites.
According to the ZimFact report, one of the first steps is to determine who is behind a post or account, if the account claims to represent a government body, news outlet, or public institution, check whether it is an official account, look for verification badges or check the organization’s official website for links to their legitimate social media profiles.
Next, pay close attention to the URL (Uniform Resource Locator, also called a web address) is a unique identifier used to locate a resource on the internet) shared in the post, ensuring that it leads to a trustworthy and secure site ideally with a “.gov”, “.org”, or a domain clearly associated with the official entity, with an inactive or misleading link being a red flag.
Also, review the account’s timeline to assess if it consistently shares accurate, reliable information, an account that frequently posts sensational or misleading content is likely not trustworthy.
Further, examine who follows the page or account, a credible account is often followed by other reputable sources or individuals.
Be aware of parody or satire accounts that are designed to entertain rather than inform, sometimes this is indicated in the bio, but not always.
Cross-referencing the information in a post with coverage from other reliable media platforms can also help establish its authenticity.
Additionally, watch out for spelling or grammatical errors, as these can indicate a lack of professionalism or credibility.
Lastly, sometimes the comments section provides useful clues to users may point out inaccuracies or provide additional context.
