Image: Namibia Fact Check / WhatsApp
A viral WhatsApp post claims that the Namibian government has approved a N$10,000 grant for all youth and citizens
The post states that applicants for the grant have to be between the ages of 18 and 35 to be eligible.
The post was forwarded to Namibia Fact Check five times between January and February 2024. The latest screenshot of the scam post was taken on 13 February 2024 and it reads as follows:
“YOUTH DEVELOPMRNT GRANT 2024/2025
The Namibian government has approved a grant amount of [10,000NAD] to be paid to all youths,any citizen who wish to apply for grant must fill out the online form and submit in thr portal.
APPLICANTS MUST 18-35 YEARS
Click the link below to know more about GRANT and how to apply online.
APPLY NOW“
The post (image below) contains all the tell-tale signs of being a scam post, from spelling errors and bad grammar, to no official logo or identifiable source, as well as a non-official web link.
The webpage linked to immediately makes it clear that it is not an official page of the youth ministry.
Ministry statement
The Ministry of Sports, Youth and National Service issued a public statement (image below) on 6 February on its official social media pages, including its Facebook page, denying any link to the viral post and stating that it was a scam.
The ministry’s statement reads a follows:
“SCAM ALERT
The Ministry of Sport, Youth and National Service hereby caution the public to refrain from clicking on a link concerning an online application for a Youth Development Grant 2024/2025, circulating on various social media platforms. Kindly note that this is a scam and does not come from the Ministry.”