FACT CHECK: ‘Pamaskong handog’ news report is AI-generated, link redirects to shopping site

Claim: Every household will receive a Christmas grocery package if they register through a link and follow the post author’s Facebook account.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: A viral reel about a Christmas grocery package giveaway posted by Pinoy Newswire, a Facebook page with over 747,000 followers, is quickly gaining traction online. As of writing, the post has accumulated more than 10,200 reactions, 5,000 comments, and 2,000 shares.

The eight-second video depicts a supposed news report in which the anchor says, “Bawat tahanan ay makakatanggap ng pamaskong handog. Magpalista lang online at dapat naka-follow sa amin.” (Every household will receive a Christmas gift, just register online and follow us.)

In the caption, they included a link labeled as the registration form.

The facts: The claim that every registered household will receive a Christmas grocery package is baseless. The link shared in the post that was supposedly for registration is misleading, redirecting users to a shopping website, according to urlscan.io.

Analysis using Hive Moderation, an AI-generated content detection tool, shows that the reel is 99.8% likely to contain AI-generated content. The post does not disclose that the video was AI-generated.

Several details in the video raise further doubts about its authenticity. The on-screen text contains multiple misspellings, and some of the phrases do not make sense based on the formatting used. In addition, the Facebook page sharing the reel has a history of posting content that had been flagged as misleading or unverified.

Beware of misleading content or links: These are posts, videos, or messages that falsely claim something, such as a giveaway, to attract clicks. The links often lead to a different website than what is provided, for example, directing users to online stores instead of registration forms. Rather than delivering the promised benefits, the link redirects to commercial websites, often online stores. 

While these links may not steal information like phishing sites, they are considered misleading because they exploit trust or excitement to drive traffic which potentially benefits creators financially or boosting their social media engagements.

In short, the content promises one thing, but delivers another, making it deceptive or a scam — even if no sensitive data is taken.

Here are related fact-checks about online registration links that Rappler had rated to be false:

• FACT CHECK: Registration links for PWD cash aid lead to phishing, shopping sites
• FACT CHECK: Registration links for ‘Christmas bonus’ payouts lead to phishing site
• FACT CHECK: News report on student cash incentives with 5kg rice is AI-generated

Official Accounts: For reliable information on government programs and services, rely only on official websites and verified social media accounts. Posts claiming that government agencies collect registration details or offer giveaways through links not issued by their official accounts are a common form of misleading content. – Princess Leah Sagaad/Rappler.com

Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at [email protected]. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time.