NITB Cyber Alerts,” reads a Facebook post shared on January 11, 2021 byFacebook page TechRupt, which has more than 100,000 followers.

“A malicious video named ” Argentina” is circulating on WhatsApp that showshow the COVID-19 curve is flattening in Argentina. Do not open the link asit hacks your phone in 10 seconds & it cannot be stopped in any way.”

The post features a poster issued by Pakistan’s National InformationTechnology Board (NITB). The title reads: “CYBER SECURITY ALERT.”

Similar posts with the same warning were also shared on Facebook herelink, herelink and herelink and on Twitter herelink, here link and herelink.

The claim in the posts is misleading.Deleted tweet

A keyword search on Google showed that the NITB removed its warning aboutthe hoax message.

A digital archive of the NITB’s tweet can be seen herelinkthe Wayback Machine.[image: an image]Screenshot of NITB’s tweet before it was removed

This article on a blog features includes an embed of the original tweetwhich is no longer accessible.Global hoax

The same misleading warning message has previously circulated on socialmedia around the world, including in Argentina, Nigeria, the Philippinesand the US. *AFP* debunked the message as a hoax.

Nigeria’s National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA)dismissed the purported warning, saying it was “aimed at causing panic”.

“The message warns the recipient not to open a video file called “ArgentinaIs Doing It” as it will hack their phone in 10 seconds,” it said in aFacebook statement on July 18, 2020. “This message has been identified asfake.”