Fact Check: Robbers posing as officials of the Department of Home affairs looting homes?
The message viral in the Telugu-speaking states claims that a few imposters are going to houses pretending as officials of the Department of home affairs. They have documents and also carry letterheads. In the pretext of confirming that everyone has valid documentation before the upcoming census, they are looting houses.
A high alert message is in circulation on Facebook and also WhatsApp in Telugu claiming that a group of people posing as Department of Home Affairs officials is looting houses.
The message viral in the Telugu-speaking states claims that a few imposters are going to houses pretending as officials of the Department of home affairs. They have documents and also carry letterheads. In the pretext of confirming that everyone has valid documentation before the upcoming census, they are looting houses.
The message goes on to say that these people are everywhere and there is no such initiative by the government. If a person comes and asks for thumb impressions/ signatures or photos for the Ayushman Bharat scheme, even if they have laptops and a list of people, everything is fake and not to give any information to him.
Here is the complete claim in Telugu: "హై సెక్యూరిటీ అలర్ట్: జాగ్రత్త, ఇంటిని దోచుకోవడానికి సరికొత్త మార్గం ఒక గుంపు ఇంటింటికీ తిరుగుతూ హోం వ్యవహారాల అధికారులుగా నటిస్తోంది. వారు హోం వ్యవహారాల శాఖ నుండి పత్రాలు మరియు లెటర్‌హెడ్‌లను కలిగి ఉన్నారు మరియు రాబోయే జనాభా గణన కోసం ప్రతి ఒక్కరూ చెల్లుబాటు అయ్యే గుర్తింపు కార్డును కలిగి ఉన్నారని ధృవీకరిస్తారు. ఇళ్లను దోచుకుంటున్నారు. ప్రభుత్వం అటువంటి చొరవ తీసుకోలేదని దయచేసి గమనించండి. దయచేసి దీన్ని మీ పొరుగు గ్రూప్ చాట్‌కి పంపండి. వారు ప్రతిచోటా ఉన్నారు మరియు వారు అందంగా కనిపిస్తారు. దయచేసి మీ కుటుంబ సభ్యులు మరియు స్నేహితులను అప్రమత్తం చేయండి. ఒక వ్యక్తి ఇంటికి వచ్చి, * నేను 'ఆయుష్మాన్ భారత్' పథకం కింద మీ ఫోటో/బొటనవేలు ముద్ర వేయాలనుకుంటున్నాను. వారి దగ్గర ల్యాప్‌టాప్, బయోమెట్రిక్ మెషిన్ మరియు దాని పేర్లన్నీ ఉన్నాయి. లిస్ట్ చూపించి ఈ వివరాలన్నీ అడుగుతున్నారు. ఇదంతా ఫేక్ అని చెబుతున్నారు. దయచేసి అతనికి ఎలాంటి సమాచారం ఇవ్వకండి. దయచేసి మహిళలకు చెప్పండి, ముఖ్యంగా వారు ID చూపిస్తే, దయచేసి వారిని ఇంట్లోకి రానివ్వకండి. మీ సమాచారం కోసం ఈ పోస్ట్ పంపుతున్నాను. అందరూ అప్రమత్తంగా ఉండి గ్రూప్‌లో లేని వారికి చెప్పండి"
When we searched the English translation on social media platforms, we found that the English version of the claim is also in circulation.
Here is the English claim:
HIGH-SECURITY ALERT: Beware, the latest way to rob a house is a group going door-to-door pretending to be home affairs officers. They have documents and letterheads from the Department of Home Affairs and claim to confirm that everyone has a valid identity card for the upcoming census. They are looting houses. Please note that no such initiative has been taken by the government. Please send this to your neighborhood group chat. They are everywhere and they look presentable. Please alert your family and friends. A person comes home and says * I want to take your photo/thumb impression under the 'Ayushman Bharat' scheme. They have a laptop, a biometric machine, and a list of all its names. They are showing a list and asking for all this information. It is being told that this is all fake. Pls, don't give him any information. Please tell women, especially if they show ID, please don't let them inside the house. I am sending this post for your information. Everyone be alert and tell those who are not in the group.
Forward to all groups
Archive links:
https://web.archive.org/web/20220829071820/https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=797948714961432
Fact Check:
The claim that imposters posing as Department of Home Affairs officials are looting homes is FALSE.
When searched, we did not find any advisory or warning by any of the Government departments. In India, we do not have a Department of Home Affairs, instead, it is called the Ministry of Home Affairs. In this ministry, there are different departments but there is no department of home affairs.
https://www.mha.gov.in/
Using the Department of Home Affairs as a cue, we found old reports published in 2017 stating that it is from South Africa.
The Department of Home Affairs, South Africa released a media statement that a group of people are carrying documents with letterheads purportedly from Home Affairs and claim to be confirming the validity of IDs for the upcoming elections. These individuals are criminals who rob households once they gain entry. There is no such initiative from the Department.
Home affairs officials are clearly identifiable by name tags. We will announce household visits through official government channels.
This was carried out by the South African Department of Home Affairs website and also their Twitter account on October 20, 2017.
They reiterated that the officials do not and will not come to the houses to validate IDs.
After which, with a few additions similar message went viral in the United States of America, Singapore, Malaysia, etc. It was viral in India too in 2019 and was debunked by several fact-checking organizations.
https://www.snopes.com/fact-
Some additional text about Ayushman Bharat has been added to the message to make it look local. But when we searched for the Ayushman Bharat scheme, the registration process is an online one.
Hence, the claim that imposters posing as Department of Home Affairs officials are looting homes is FALSE. An old South African alert message is in circulation as that belongs to India.
