Thread by @misterzedpk

#FakeNews Open Source Investigation - Inauthentic COVID-19 Pak Stats Website 'Tracking Corona' (trackcorona[dot]pk)

#CoronaVirusUpdate #COVID2019 #Pakistan

This is another example of a lazy but rushed up clickbait venture to lure unsuspecting visitors and earn money through cheap infolinks within content and view a 'real-time dashboard'.

This website was registered on 17 March 2020.

The website has an embedded Google Analytics code 'UA-103429328-9' linked to several domains, including 'kmspico[dot]xyz' and 'about[dot]com[dot]pk'.

Past/defunct domains include 'mepcobill[dot]online' and 'urdupage[dot]pk'.

There aren't any resourceful leads on 'KMSpico[dot]xyz' except an Email ID mentioned in the 'Disclaimer' section. A LinkedIn account is registered on this ID.
Link: archive.vn/6RG5B

A further reverse-lookup of this Email ID links to "Edufied Apps" apparently situated inside Arfa Karim Technology Tower, Lahore. It's hosting 19 apps (as of yet) on Play Store.
Sample 1: archive.vn/wkMee
Sample 2: archive.vn/jXjTx
Page: archive.vn/wawXv

One of the apps on "Edufied Apps" is titled 'HRMS ONLINE Leave Application'. It mentions 'sohailkhanzada[dot]com' as the publisher website. Source: archive.vn/EvO23
(Note: This is NOT an official Govt of Punjab app).

A lookup of this domain uncovers 'fhashmireads' as 'Farhan Hashmi'. In 2017, he lodged a complaint to Google on the suspension of his YouTube account. Source: archive.vn/4hDf2

A deep probe uncovered that this domain is associated with Facebook profile of one 'Sohail Khan' living in Bahawalpur. He has also mentioned his contact number. Source: archive.vn/LltMP

Examination of different app contents and website posts suggests (I may be wrong), that 'Farhan Hashmi' is a non-existent entity (fake profile) maintained by Sohail Khan for website management and marketing.

If you search for 'trackcorona[dot]pk' on Twitter, you'll see several individuals promoting it including the handle of Sohail Khan/Sohail Khanzada ('SoheilKhanzada').

Sohail Khan appears to be the creator/beneficiary of ad revenue from the website 'trackcorona[dot]pk'. Citizens of Pakistan should only rely on the official government-operated portal (covid.gov.pk) for authentic info [End]

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