Claim: Final Notice from Varun Pulyani Director of WhatsApp and Jim Balsamic CEO of WhatsApp informing users that WhatsApp is sold and will incur charges of 25.00 if not a frequent user.
Source: WhatsApp Groups
Verdict: False and Deceiving.
Findings:
WhatsApp, which can be accessed on both mobile phones and desktop with internet service, is a messaging platform with services that allow users to send text, voice messages, and call of both audio and video, share multimedia files and user locations that has over 100 million users. Is WhatsApp Sold To Mark Zuckerberg? Who Is The Director Of WhatsApp Now? – Gizbot News However, an audio message which is indicated to be made by the CEO Jim Balsamic and Director Varun Pulyani of WhatsApp is making rounds on WhatsApp platforms in a voice note saying ‘Final Notice don’t ignore please read Hello, I am VARUN PALYANI director of WhatsApp this message is to inform all our users that we have sold WhatsApp to Mark Zuckerberg for 19 billion dollar. Mark Zuckerberg now controls WhatsApp. If you have at least 20 contacts, send this SMS and logo of your WhatsApp will change to a new icon with ‘f’ of Facebook within 24 hours. Send this message forwards to more than 10 people to activate your new WhatsApp with Facebook services or else your account will be removed from new service’. Then the message goes further to say this is the final notice ‘Hello everyone it seems that all the warnings were real. The use of WhatsApp cost money from summer 2017, if you send this string to 20 different on your list your icon will be blue and will be free for you, if you do not believe me see tomorrow at 6pm ending WhatsApp, you have to pay to open it, this is by law and this message is to inform all of our users, our services have recently been very congested so we are asking you to help us solve this problem. We require our active users to forward this message to each of the people in your contact list to confirm our active users using WhatsApp. If you do not send this message to all your contacts, WhatsApp will then start to charge you. Your account will remained inactive with the consequences of losing all your contacts. Going further again its say message from JIM BALSAMIC CEO of WhatsApp, we have had and over usage of user names on WhatsApp messenger, we are requesting all users to forward this message to their entire contact list, if you do not forward this message we will take it as your account is invalid and will be deleted within the next 48 hours please do not ignore this message or WhatsApp will no longer recognised your activation. If you wish to reactivate your account after it has been deleted, a charge of 25.00 will be added to your monthly bill. We are also aware of the issues involving pictures and updates not showing, we are working diligently on fixing this problem and this will be up and running. Thank you for your cooperation team WhatsApp is going to cost us money soon the only way to remain an active user is to share this message with all your contacts. ’
This same message made it round on WhatsApp platforms back in 2017 to 2020 but however managed to find its way back on WhatsApp Platforms again in 2022 days after WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram and Messenger had a six hour breakdown on the 25th October, 2022. Yes Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook acquired WhatsApp back in 2014 for $19.3 billion from Mr Jan Koum a Ukrainian who is realised to have been the Ex CEO of WhatsApp and the co-founder who founded the App with Brian Acton https://www.whatsapp.com/about in 2009.
WhatsApp in January 2012 has responded that the message is hoax and there is no truth attached to WhatsApp costing money, having over usage, or it shutting down on the 28th of January. It is a hoax. Really, it is. – WhatsApp Blog however it is noticed that the message is cited on the debunking site Hoax-Slayer and based on the text the spam may have started on BlackBerry messaging service BBM and Jim Bolsamic is believed to be a vinegar flavoured Corruption of Jim Balsillie former Co-CEO of RIM (Research in Motion Blackberry).
WhatsApp on January 18, 2016 announced that the App is completely free without any form of charges on the different versions because many WhatsApp users don’t have a debit or credit card number and they are worried to loss contact with friends and family after their first year. Making WhatsApp free and more useful – WhatsApp Blog in addition to that the explain that the audio is hoax is that, it kept asking users to first forward the message to 10 people, then in the same audio said send to 20 people and finally all of the contact list on your WhatsApp for WhatsApp it be free and for the logo to change to the Facebook icon.
Conclusion
WhatsApp is totally free, has over 1 Billion users and the audio going round is hoax meaning its meant to mislead the public because there is no form of truth in WhatsApp costing money or having over users. Finally the Former CEO of WhatsApp is Jan Koum not Jim Bolsamic, WhatsApp information are available on the WhatsApp blog which wrote it is entirely hoax and this same WhatsApp audio has made rounds on WhatsApp years back.
by Muhammed Lamin Touray
Communication Officer / Researcher
