The ClarityDeskSeptember 1, 2025
Fact-checker: Angelina Adut Akech
A viral message with a link on WhatsApp (archived link) claims that Donald Trump is giving $200 grants to people in African countries after becoming president of the United States for a second time, but it is false.
“Visit the link below and answer the following questions, and you will receive $200 instantly,” reads the viral claim shared widely in WhatsApp groups and private direct messages.
Upon clicking the link, you are given the option to answer three questions, the first of which is whether you agree that Trump is a good president.
On answering all three questions correctly, you are further asked to choose from a lucky box.
After receiving the lucky box and winning $200, you are then instructed to share it with friends and groups.
Debunking the Claim:
A keyword search for ‘Donald Trump $200 grant for Africans’ returns several results with nothing with details related to the topic, except for one result showing a fact-check report (archived link) by 211 Check in November 2024.
According to the analysis from fotoForensics, the image elements are misleading: the photo of Trump and the cash stack seems to have been taken from unrelated sources, and scammers also use impersonation to make fake offers appear real.
The website also has a very low trust score of 9/100 on scamadviser.com (archived link) because of the following negative highlights:
- The owner of the website is using a service to hide their identity on WHOIS
- According to Tranco this site has a low rank
- This site is a website within another website
- High number of suspicious websites on this server
- The registrar has a high % of spammers and fraud sites
- This website is (very) young.
- We tried to analyze the content of the site but failed
Our Verdict:
The ClarityDesk has found a viral WhatsApp message embedded with a link claiming that Donald Trump is offering a $200 grant to Africans to be false. This is a trap that scammers use to collect personal information from unsuspecting individuals seeking opportunities.
Have you spotted an error in this article and would like to request a correction, or have you come across a claim that we should investigate? Please send us an email via editor@claritydesk.org or click here to WhatsApp us via +211 928 606 958.
About The ClarityDesk
The ClarityDesk is a South Sudan-based fact-checking and media literacy project dedicated to promoting truth, transparency, and accountability. We verify claims, debunk misinformation, and equip the public with tools to critically evaluate information. Our work is guided by accuracy, independence, and the public interest.
The ClarityDesk
