22 Missionaries – The Afghanistan SMS Text Message Hoax

by Lee on March 1, 2009

in Internet Hoaxes

I recently received a few text messages from a cell phone number I don’t recognise.

The SMS message talks of an upcoming set of executions in Afghanistan.

afghanistan-execution-hoax

Here’s the message -

Please pray for 22 Christian misionary families that will be executed today in Afghanistan.

Please spread to others fast.

I’ve searched online and not found anything to confirm if this message is true or a false.

As I don’t recognise the sender’s number, and have no real specific interest in Afghanistan or executions, I would imagine that this is a hoax.

Has anybody else received this text?

Can you shed any light on whether it’s true or not?

Update : Read more here

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  • { 24 comments… read them below or add one }

    1 Gerald March 6, 2009 at 5:36 pm

    I also recieved the text via my yahoo messanger this morning. I flipped the TV to CNN. There was nothing like that on CNN and BBC. I was wondering where whoever started that got the news from. I just hope it’s not real cos i can’t find any of that news anywhere. It’s so sad that people should spread such news.

    Reply

    2 Lee March 7, 2009 at 1:23 am

    It’s a definite hoax Gerald.

    Reply

    3 Thomas March 6, 2009 at 12:46 pm

    I got that message many times since yesterday, came from both people whom I know very well and whom I don’t know. And who takes advantage of it? Celluler provider! More we sent message, more they get money. That’s old trick, and surely a hoax

    Reply

    4 Lee March 6, 2009 at 2:24 pm

    That’s an interesting point you make about the cell providers.

    Reply

    5 Dawn March 5, 2009 at 2:09 am

    http://hoaxbusters.org/ have a warning on their site about this. Apparently if you search for info on the web, one of the sponsored links is a particularly horrible virus download.

    Reply

    6 Lee March 5, 2009 at 2:12 am

    Yep, I’d already discovered that – a Croatian site.

    Reply

    7 winiee March 4, 2009 at 5:16 am

    I just got it- today 4 March Jakarta time, luckily i checked.

    Reply

    8 Lee March 4, 2009 at 9:29 am

    Glad to be of service Winiee.

    Reply

    9 Cavell March 2, 2009 at 10:15 am

    Thank God that this was just a hoax.

    Reply

    10 Lee March 2, 2009 at 11:31 am

    Yes indeed!

    Reply

    11 Kirsten March 1, 2009 at 7:04 pm

    I’m praying that these guys will be ok.

    Reply

    12 Lee March 1, 2009 at 9:58 pm

    It’s a hoax Kirsten, no prayers required on this occassion.

    Reply

    13 Lee March 1, 2009 at 12:38 pm

    UPDATE :

    Bev at Christian Homekeeping has reported that a Google search for this ’story’ may lead to an attack website.

    Beware.

    Reply

    14 jon March 1, 2009 at 12:30 pm

    also recieved this today, this would be on all the major news services if it was real, searched google and everywhere says it’s a hoax

    some sick people out there

    Reply

    15 Lee March 1, 2009 at 1:19 pm

    There certainly are Jon.

    Additionally, though not verified, it seems as though there is a website out there that is using this hoax to attract visitors in order to infect their computers.

    More on that if I can find out which site and verify the information…

    Reply

    16 Kirsty March 1, 2009 at 10:02 am

    I got this too. Is it true? Have you found out yet?

    Reply

    17 Lee March 1, 2009 at 11:57 am

    No I haven’t Kirsty.

    What I’ve read online leads me to think it is a hoax as I’ve found no confirmation yet.

    I’ve just asked the question on Twitter and wonder if anyone on there can shed some light on the matter?

    Reply

    18 MTB March 4, 2009 at 3:04 am
    19 Lee March 4, 2009 at 9:28 am

    It certainly looks like this hoax could be referencing that real-life story from a year or two ago.

    Nice find MTB.

    Reply

    20 j March 4, 2009 at 8:00 pm

    just pray for them anyway

    Reply

    21 Mary March 1, 2009 at 8:44 am

    It sounds plausible but as you say, why send it to you, and who sent it?

    Reply

    22 Lee March 1, 2009 at 11:56 am

    Those would be my questions Mary!

    Reply

    23 Mo March 1, 2009 at 9:51 pm

    We got one of these texts then a prayer request for the same situation from a different source altogether. Neither Reuters nor a Christian News website had any note of this “news”, and so we’re assuming it’s a hoax.

    Reply

    24 Lee March 1, 2009 at 9:57 pm

    I’m pretty certain of that myself now Mo.

    Reply

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