A false alarm that is experiencing a resurgence in popularity at the start of the year. A reader alerted the Fake off section to 20 minutes on the broadcast of a message on Whatsapp, alerting about a mysterious “Martinelli” video. The text, riddled with grammatical errors, advises messaging users not to open the video because it “gets into your phone and nothing you do will fix it.” The text also recommends not to open “a message for WhatsApp Gold”.
Here is the text of this message, which includes some variations according to the versions that circulate: “Hello to all. Just a little info: Today the radio was talking about WhatsApp Gold. There is a video that will be launched tomorrow at WhatsApp called Martinelli. Don’t open it. It gets into your phone and nothing you do fixes it. Spread the word if you know someone. If you receive a message to update WhatsApp Gold * Do not open it! They just announced that hacking is serious. Send it to everyone. »
On Facebook, many Internet users relay the message to warn their contacts.
FAKE OFF
There is no evidence that a “Martinelli” video is currently circulating on WhatsApp. As for a “gold” version of messaging, there is currently none. Solicited by 20 minutes, WhatsApp did not respond to our requests, but the messaging service, owned by the Meta group, did not announce the launch of such a version.
The vague wording of the message (which radio station alerted? When? Who is this “Martinelli”?), its approximate syntax are all signals that raise awareness of the message’s lack of reliability. Be careful, however, if you receive a link inviting you to download WhatsApp Gold: as spotted him the British fact-checkers of FullFact, sites offer you to download an application bearing this name. This is not the official version of WhatsApp and downloading these dubious apps puts you at risk.
In 2017, already, the Spanish police denounced an “intoxication”
The false alarm on the “Martinelli” video has been circulating since at least 2017: in July of this year, the Spanish police had qualified of “brainwashing” a similar message. This message resurfaces regularly in several countries: it has already circulated in the United Kingdom, the United States, Italy, India, the Netherlands…
To have the correct version of WhatsApp, make sure to update the application regularly. If you have any doubts about a message you receive, it is best not to relay it. It is also advised not to click on dubious links.