New Delhi: The PIB (Press Information Bureau) fact-checking unit has exposed false appointment letters being sent to several applicants for the post of Postal Assistant/Sorting Assistant, urging candidates to check the official website for results and information.
A tweet by the PIB official handle, @PIBFactCheck, containing a copy of the fake letter that has been widely circulated, read: "Fake letters for appointment as Postal Asst./Sorting Asst. on the basis of Combined Higher Secondary Level Examination (conducted by SSC) have been received by many. These letters are fake and candidates are advised to check results on the official website."
The PIB created a fact-checking team to tackle the menace of fake news regarding government, its ministries and policies in December last year. Any news forward pertaining to the government, but apolitical in nature can be mailed to pibfactcheck@gmail.com for verification. Due to the volume of requests, PIB said it would not be able to reach out to each individual with the status of their fact check request. However, they will post major fact checks on social media.
"Dear Citizens, thanks for your enthusiastic response to our efforts to check #fakenews via #PIBFactCheck. Please note: we will not verify #fakenews of a political nature, or about private companies. We shall focus on those who mislead about government schemes/announcement/orders," PIB had tweeted at the launch of the unit last month.