Pfizer VP Arrested for Faking Vaccine Efficacy WhatsApp Message is Fake News

Claim

A message of WhatsApp is being shared massively claiming the “VP of Pfizer group arrested after leaked documents show only 12% vaccine efficacy and severe side effects.” The message adds an Indian twist to the viral message saying, “Thanking our govt that Pfizer was not allowed in India. Remember how Kejriwal, Uddhav Thackeray and Ashok Gehlot openly advocated for Pfizer Vaccines. TRUTH IS OUT.”

And, fortunately the person who originally shared this message included the sources of the website in his/her message - VP of Pfizer arrested after #pfizerdocuments get released (vancouvertimes.org)

It's started. Vice President of #Pfizer has been arrested at his home and charged with multiple counts of fraud by US federal agents. #PfizeGate #PfizerDumphttps://t.co/TCnpPu9Vvv

— Trevor Lloyd-Jones (@tlloydjones) May 7, 2022

Fact-check

A simple click on the embedded website URL in the viral message reveals that this news was carried by an unknown website Vancouver Times and the viral story was published under the Satire category. https://vancouvertimes.org/category/satire/ 

The About Us section of the Vancouver Times website states that it “is the most trusted source for Satire on the West Coast.”

Your source says: "This news was first published by VancouverTimes."

This is the Vancouver Times: https://t.co/yvTKYsAIWL pic.twitter.com/PA0D9yC1Ns

— David Emery (@debunker) May 9, 2022

The message has gone viral both in India and other countries. Using #pfizerdocuments Twitterati are demanding the action against the Pfizer for “crimes against Humanity”

The anti-vaxxers have latched onto the fake news and started sharing the conspiracy theories on social media and on the web. 

Also Read: Who is Pulitzer Award Winning Photographer Danish Siddiqui Killed in Afghanistan

So, whenever you receive a fake message on WhatsApp and you find a magnifier next to it, tap on it and see if this WhatsApp feature brings up any fact-checked credible news articles on the forwarded message. 

It's now possible to use the "search message on the web" feature on the latest versions of WhatsApp Web/Desktop.

Note that the feature is already enabled on the latest WhatsApp for Android and iOS updates. https://t.co/Z2TrgsDWwp pic.twitter.com/rCm6cd35pg

— WABetaInfo (@WABetaInfo) April 4, 2020