WhatsApp

DaveMehmet

Just read the following on a neighbourhood watch group. May well be bollox but thought I’d make you all aware:

 The following message is from a trusted friend:

If you know anyone using WhatsApp you might pass on this. An IT colleague has advised  that a video comes out tomorrow from WhatsApp called martinelli do not open it , it hacks your phone and nothing will fix it. Spread the word.

If you receive a message to update the Whatsapp to Whatsapp Gold, do not click !!!!! 

Pass it on to all

Todds_right_hook

people bored with self isolating and see creating things like this as fun?

DaveMehmet

Yeah, it’s probably crap but the guy who sent it is a copper and administers the group.

stackitsteve

If you google WhatsApp Martinelli you’ll see plenty of reports dating back as far as mid 2017 that it’s a hoax.

always best to use caution though, just don’t open or click anything from someone you don’t know.

Charlton and on

Article from 2019

https://www.standard.co.uk/tech/whatsapp-gold-virus-martinelli-message-explained-a4030661.html

DaveMehmet

stackitsteve said:

If you google WhatsApp Martinelli you’ll see plenty of reports dating back as far as mid 2017 that it’s a hoax.

always best to use caution though, just don’t open or click anything from someone you don’t know.

Or anything that @ricky_otto sends you

Exiled_Addick

stackitsteve said:

If you google WhatsApp Martinelli you’ll see plenty of reports dating back as far as mid 2017 that it’s a hoax.

always best to use caution though, just don’t open or click anything from someone you don’t know.

This is the correct way to respond when you read one of these stories that your Spidey-senses tell you might be bollocks. Google and look for articles from a trusted source that identify it as a hoax.

I don't fully understand what people get out of creating the false scare stories, stories about public figures dying, memes for how to treat Covid19 by gargling salt water, or whatever else, but, sadly, there are people out there who do appear to have their reasons for making this shit up.

Not beating on DaveMehmet or anyone else who shares these stories because they are doing it from a good place of trying to look out for each other, but, especially in times like this, we're doing each other a bigger favour by trying hard not to contribute to the spread of misinformation.

Please people, fact check before you share - not after.

stackitsteve

Some are certainly more believable than others.

One being shared the other day was a test for Corona, if you can hold your breath for 10 seconds you don’t have it!!! You’d be pretty stupid to believe it but how dangerous to share that? Potentially people with the virus could believe they are testing negative and go spread it about.

Wheresmeticket

stackitsteve said:

Some are certainly more believable than others.

One being shared the other day was a test for Corona, if you can hold your breath for 10 seconds you don’t have it!!! You’d be pretty stupid to believe it but how dangerous to share that? Potentially people with the virus could believe they are testing negative and go spread it about.

How many people just held their breath for 10 seconds?

Exiled_Addick

stackitsteve said:

Some are certainly more believable than others.

One being shared the other day was a test for Corona, if you can hold your breath for 10 seconds you don’t have it!!! You’d be pretty stupid to believe it but how dangerous to share that? Potentially people with the virus could believe they are testing negative and go spread it about.

Hadn't seen that one yet. Potential consequences don't bare thinking about. It's really pernicious some of this stuff. In fact, down right evil to start spreading something like that.

Leroy Ambrose

DaveMehmet said:

Yeah, it’s probably crap but the guy who sent it is a copper and administers the group.

Having worked in IT Security for a police force, I can confirm that the vast majority of coppers are pigshit thick - and the ones working in the 'technology' areas are the absolute worst. When the 'Blue Whale' hoax was doing the rounds a couple of years ago I had one of them threaten to have me disciplined because my attempts to quash the rumours were undermining his attempts to spread them... When it was pointed out (not be me, I hasten to add) that I stopped working for the police eight years ago and was only still on the chat group because he'd failed to be diligent in clearing old members out he got huffy and left his own chat group...

But I digress. Yeah this is pants, ignore it

Dazzler21

You should definitely not google Blue Waffle that hoax got round pretty rapidly.

Bedsaddick

DaveMehmet said:

Just read the following on a neighbourhood watch group. May well be bollox but thought I’d make you all aware:

 The following message is from a trusted friend:

If you know anyone using WhatsApp you might pass on this. An IT colleague has advised  that a video comes out tomorrow from WhatsApp called martinelli do not open it , it hacks your phone and nothing will fix it. Spread the word.

If you receive a message to update the Whatsapp to Whatsapp Gold, do not click !!!!! 

Pass it on to all

No true. It’s a pyramid spam message . Ignore it 

cafcdave123

Wheresmeticket? said:

stackitsteve said:

Some are certainly more believable than others.

One being shared the other day was a test for Corona, if you can hold your breath for 10 seconds you don’t have it!!! You’d be pretty stupid to believe it but how dangerous to share that? Potentially people with the virus could believe they are testing negative and go spread it about.

How many people just held their breath for 10 seconds?

I couldn’t manage 10 seconds but as it’s a hoax I’m obviously fine. I’m off out to cough on people on the bus.

kentaddick

DO NOT BELIEVE RUMOURS SPREAD BY WHATSAPP. 

It’s been proven to have been the most malicious of all social networking misinformation. At least on twitter bullshit can be challenged, doesn’t take much for a malicious actor to generate a believable but fake rumour that is not challenged. 

theres been incidents in India that have actually lead to racist murders because of racist propaganda put through WhatsApp. 

Brendan_O_Connell

kentaddick said:

DO NOT BELIEVE RUMOURS SPREAD BY WHATSAPP. 

It’s been proven to have been the most malicious of all social networking misinformation. At least on twitter bullshit can be challenged, doesn’t take much for a malicious actor to generate a believable but fake rumour that is not challenged. 

theres been incidents in India that have actually lead to racist murders because of racist propaganda put through WhatsApp. 

Great for mucky videos though!

Valiantphil

I get all my rumours from Bananarama. 

cafcdave123

Brendan_O_Connell said:

kentaddick said:

DO NOT BELIEVE RUMOURS SPREAD BY WHATSAPP. 

It’s been proven to have been the most malicious of all social networking misinformation. At least on twitter bullshit can be challenged, doesn’t take much for a malicious actor to generate a believable but fake rumour that is not challenged. 

theres been incidents in India that have actually lead to racist murders because of racist propaganda put through WhatsApp. 

Great for mucky videos though!

I was sent a WhatsApp earlier with 102 different links to porn as a sort of self insulation care package

Dazzler21

cafcdave123 said:

Brendan_O_Connell said:

kentaddick said:

DO NOT BELIEVE RUMOURS SPREAD BY WHATSAPP. 

It’s been proven to have been the most malicious of all social networking misinformation. At least on twitter bullshit can be challenged, doesn’t take much for a malicious actor to generate a believable but fake rumour that is not challenged. 

theres been incidents in India that have actually lead to racist murders because of racist propaganda put through WhatsApp. 

Great for mucky videos though!

I was sent a WhatsApp earlier with 102 different links to porn as a sort of self insulation care package

Yep got that one too.