IMAGE: Namibia Fact Check / WhatsApp
The viral post falsely claims that the World Food Programme is busy with a mass recruitment drive worldwide
The post (image below), that has been widely shared in Namibian WhatsApp groups in September 2023, states:
“*MASS RECRUITMENT AT WFP 2023 JOBS*.
WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME(WFP). The 2023 RECRUITMENT form is available and recruitment has begun for anyone interested between the ages of 18 and 40 More than 50,000 job opportunities.
All Nationalities are eligible to Apply.
*APPLY NOW*
Note that WFP does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, meeting, travel, treatment, training or any other costs).”
The link in the post is not for an official World Food Programme (WFP) webpage and is clearly part of a phishing scam, meant to entice potential applicants to give up personal information once they click the link and fill out an online application form on the scam webpage (image below).
A Google search of the webpage address delivers the following message (image below): “Google hasn’t seen this page before. This could be because the page is private, is very new, and doesn’t get many visitors.”
An online search revealed that South Sudanese fact checker 211Check had debunked the same mass recruitment scam on 9 May 2023, concluding:
“The WhatsApp message soliciting job applications for the World Food Programme via a one-page dubious site is false and potentially malicious.”
The World Food Programme’s official website warns people about fraudulent job offers and states the following:
“Beware of fraudulent job offers: WFP is aware of fictitious employment offers being circulated via email, social media accounts or originating from online job boards.”
The WFP further states that the opportunities presented may appear legitimate, by featuring the WFP logo, however they are not.