Identical posts on the Facebook page “H P laptopss pavers” claim software company HP is giving away laptop computers.
Facebook users are told to comment with the letters “ME” in order to win. But users who participate have no chance of getting that laptop.
The page was created in March 2019 with the name “Hardcore pavers”. And it has no connection to the verified HP Facebook page or website.
The posts don’t offer much information on why the giveaway is taking place or how it works.
HP’s official website says the company has helped in the public health response to Covid-19. It has donated US$1,000,000 for critical medical supplies and given laptops and printers to hospitals in affected areas. But no mention is made of a laptop giveaway on Facebook.
“I confirm that this Facebook page is a fake and that HP has not launched any giveaway campaign of laptops,” Ekaterina Aleshina, communications manager at HP, told Africa Check.
The Facebook post is an example of engagement bait – content that asks people to interact by liking, commenting on or sharing a post. The more people that engage with the content, the greater the Facebook page’s reach.
This is not the first time the HP brand has been used by scammers on Facebook. Several giveaways have been posted by different pages and found by fact-checkers to be false. – Africa Check
Facebook users are told to comment with the letters “ME” in order to win. But users who participate have no chance of getting that laptop.
Engagement bait
The page was created in March 2019 with the name “Hardcore pavers”. And it has no connection to the verified HP Facebook page or website.
The posts don’t offer much information on why the giveaway is taking place or how it works.
HP’s official website says the company has helped in the public health response to Covid-19. It has donated US$1,000,000 for critical medical supplies and given laptops and printers to hospitals in affected areas. But no mention is made of a laptop giveaway on Facebook.
“I confirm that this Facebook page is a fake and that HP has not launched any giveaway campaign of laptops,” Ekaterina Aleshina, communications manager at HP, told Africa Check.
The Facebook post is an example of engagement bait – content that asks people to interact by liking, commenting on or sharing a post. The more people that engage with the content, the greater the Facebook page’s reach.
This is not the first time the HP brand has been used by scammers on Facebook. Several giveaways have been posted by different pages and found by fact-checkers to be false. – Africa Check
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