FALSE: Facebookposts claim that soaking your hand in cold water for five minutes will make headaches βdisappearβ. But what little research there is says this may make your headaches worse.
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FALSE: Even if type O blood was linked to lower levels of two βinflammation markersβ, this would not be proof that it slows ageing as claimed online. To make matters worse, thereβs no evidence that the supposed research behind this viral claim exists at all.Β
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FALSE: Facebook posts claim that several health problems are caused by βa dirty wombβ and promote a natural remedy as a cure. But there is no evidence that such home remedies treat reproductive health issues.
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FALSE: An image of South African politician Kenny Kunene appearing to take an oath is circulating on social media. In it, a large '26' tattoo is visible on his arm, supposedly linking him to a prison gang. But the original images from the ceremony show no such tattoo; the viral version was altered.Β
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SCAM: A message circulating on social media in South Africa claims that Eskom is offering learnerships and training programmes and urges users to apply via the provided link. However, the power utility has repeatedlyΒ warned job seekers to be wary of such scams and to rely only on its official channels for opportunities.
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SCAM: Donβt trust those dodgy βKFC Jobsβ Facebook page β large companies recruit through official sites, and they donβt ask applicants to share social media posts.
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MISSING CONTEXT: A short video of Fikile Mbalula, a prominent South African politician, saying the country βdoesnβt have a governmentβ and is βrun by cartelsβ is circulating online. But the clip has been taken out of context. Β
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Kenya π°πͺ
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FAKE: An image imitating the design of Kenyaβs Standard newspaper front pages claims politician Rigathi Gachagua referred to former minister Fred Matiangβi as a fool. But it has been fabricated.
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FALSE: A photo of former Kenyan prime minister Raila Odinga on a hospital bed went viral on social media in October 2025, with users claiming he is critically ill. However, the photo is from 2017.
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FALSE: Posts on social media claim that Cleophas Malala, deputy leader of Kenyaβs Democracy for Citizens Party, was fired. There is no evidence to support this claim.
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FAKE: A memo supposedly from Kenyaβs education ministryΒ orders university students to vacate campuses due to an ongoing lecturersβ strike. But the education minister dismissed it as fake.
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FAKE: Fake graphics mimicking reputable news outlets online are increasingly being used to falsely depict opposition politicians as supporters of Kenyan president William Ruto. We exposed one such graphic.
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Nigeria π³π¬
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FALSE: Social media posts claim that the son of Nnamdi Kanu, who is the leader of the secessionst Indigenous People of Biafra, has won an βinternational brain competitionβ. But the claim is false.
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FALSE: An image of Nigerian politician Peter Obi shaking hands with US president Donald Trump is circulating online, with the claim the leaders met. But Obi has debunked it.
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FALSE: Another online photo shows Peter Obi with transport union leader Musiliu Akinsanya, who is also popularly known as MC Oluomo, with the claim being that the two met. But this is not true.
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FALSE: The National Youth Service Corps has warned prospective members to ignore an online step-by-step "payment guide" circulating on social media. Members should register and pay only through the NYSC's official portal.
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MISLEADING: In September 2019, Nigerian police rescued over 300 people from a supposed Islamic school after its operators were accused of torture and abuse. Social media posts claiming the incident took place in September 2025 are misleading.Β
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SCAM: Several Facebook pages are asking users to invest in a platform called Norland. But the platform has been flagged by fact-checkers and has all the red flags of a fake investment platform.