SUMMARY
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Claim: Megaworld chairman and president Andrew Tan promoted cryptocurrency trading platforms in various interviews with television host Boy Abunda.
Rating: FALSE
Why we fact-checked this: The link containing the claim was submitted to Rappler. It was reportedly circulating on Microsoft’s Bing platform and was also shared on Facebook.
According to a supposed article published on March 2 on a website imitating Inquirer.net, Tan had promoted the use of Etherum 800 Sprix, an automated trading platform for cryptocurrency, during an allegedly deleted interview with Abunda.
A similar claim can be found on a Medium website, where Tan supposedly promoted another cryptocurrency trading platform called Trader Aloha 7.0 in an interview with Abunda in the talk show Gandang Gabi Vice!
The facts: None of the incidents were true. All parties – Abunda, Tan, and Inquirer.net – denied the false posts.
Tan denial: Tan, through a statement released by his office on March 5, clarified that he “is not, in any way, connected, involved, or engaged with any cryptocurrency trading.”
“We condemn websites that use the name and photos of Dr. Tan without his permission as these are clearly sources of misinformation, disinformation, and fake news to push their websites’ malicious agenda of misleading and duping investors,” the statement said.
Boy Abunda denial: Meanwhile, in a conversation with Rappler on March 4, Abunda denied interviewing Tan.
“Of course I deny that I did an interview with Andrew Tan. It is alarming already,” Abunda said, adding that his name and image have often been used in such false advertisements.
According to the television host, he has been alerted about a number of fake content which featured him supposedly interviewing different people.
“This is probably because I am a known interviewer. Thus, it is easy for people to believe I conducted said interviews with various personalities,” he said.
Additionally, the Medium article bears a false detail as it is comedian and talk show host Vice Ganda, not Abunda, who hosts Gandang Gabi Vice!
Fake article: In a fact check article on January 24, Inquirer.net said it did not publish the supposed news article containing the claim.
“We want to clarify that this is fake news. INQUIRER.net has not published any such story and categorically denies any association with this fabricated content,” the news organization said.
Fact-checked: Rappler has debunked claims posted on websites mimicking news web pages, such as CNN. These fake articles are typically advertisements for unregistered health products:
- FACT CHECK: Fake ad for ‘joint pain cure’ uses photos of influencer Doc Alvin
- FACT CHECK: Fake CNN interview of influencer Doc Alvin used in ‘joint pain cure’ ad
– Ailla Dela Cruz/Rappler.com
Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at factcheck@rappler.com. You may also report dubious claims to #FactsFirstPH tipline by messaging Rappler on Facebook or Newsbreak via Twitter direct message. You may also report through our Viber fact check chatbot. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time.
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