G1 denies confiscating savings, but publishes comments endorsing the hoax.

By Eduardo Guimarães, from Citizenship Blog

Despite the official denial from the Ministry of Finance stating that the information that the federal government will confiscate savings deposited in Caixa Econômica Federal after Carnival is false, these rumors continue to be spread, albeit with less force.

On Friday, primarily through the WhatsApp mobile social network, a crude montage, riddled with grammatical errors and even missing the name of the federal financial institution that would confiscate savings, spread with greater intensity.

Later on Friday afternoon, the Ministry of Finance released a statement denying the rumor.

Despite the official denial, however, a second, more elaborate fake story continued to spread the rumor. This was a fabrication using the name of Globo's G1 portal.

The improved version of the hoax – now without the glaring errors of the first – reveals an orchestrated effort to spread panic. The limited dissemination of the denial and the "success" of the crude hoax encouraged other groups to continue spreading panic.

Shortly after the fake news story from G1 spread, the portal released... note dubious "denying" that it had published the "news".

As you can see, the headline itself leaves a question hanging in the air: "government denies." And the denial that the news was published by that website is inexplicably discreet.

What's most astonishing is that the vast majority of reader comments on the G1 article question the denial, which helps keep the panic alive.

In total, up to the moment the Blog checked G1's "denial," there were 172 comments. Almost all of them refuted the denial and endorsed the rumor. In other words, Globo's portal published a denial that cast doubt on itself.

The same thing happened on other major internet portals that debunked the rumor; they published reader comments questioning the debunking.

The result is continued panic. Readers continue to send messages reporting that, so far, many do not believe the authorities' denial.

One blog reader even reports that, despite assuring his own mother that there will be no confiscation, she doesn't believe him and continues to spread the alarmist "information".

Wanderson Flavio

Sent on 02/14/2015 at 21:09

This lie is also being spread via WhatsApp. Worried, my mother contacted me early last night to ask if I had seen anything about the confiscation of Caixa savings accounts because her sister (my aunt) had said she “saw it on TV.” When I questioned which program, channel, etc., already stating that it was a lie spread by coup plotters trying to overthrow the newly elected president, my mother immediately called my aunt. Then they sent me the following message:

"Guys, if you have money in your Caixa savings account..."

Take it off!!! Next month the government will freeze all savings accounts at Caixa Econômica Federal.

I just found out from someone who works in the field.

Just so you know.

And whoever can, please pass the message on.

I don't know if it's true, but it's good to find out.

"I'm just passing it along" (literal transcription)

My mother's concern stems from having a relatively small amount (less than 10 reais) deposited in her Caixa savings account. After this conversation with my aunt, and before seeking further information from me, she even considered withdrawing the entire deposited amount.

Eduardo, Caixa needs to find an urgent way to refute this nonsense. Since they have the customers' phone numbers, they should implement a direct communication strategy with all of them, either through recorded messages or text messages.