IN SHORT: Several social media posts claim users will receive photos of the earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand as files called “seismic waves cards” and that these files will “hack your phone in 10 seconds”. But that’s not true; this old claim uses recent events to try to fool users for reach.

“Alert ⚠️‼️‼️‼️‼️DO NOT  OPEN IT,” starts a message sent to us by subscribers to our WhatsApp line.

It goes on: “They are going to upload some photos of the earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand on Whatsapp. The file is called Seismic Waves CARD, do not open or see it, it will hack your phone in 10 seconds and it cannot be stopped in any way. Pass the information on to your family and friends. DO NOT OPEN IT. They also said it on TV.”

Thesame claim hasbeen makingthe rounds onsocial media inSouth Africa and other parts of the world here,here andhere. It even appears ingroups withlarge followings.

Africa Check readers might recognise parts of this claim from previous debunks, so let’s get straight to the facts.

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The claim refers to the 28 March 2025 event when a 7.7 magnitudeearthquake hit Mandalay, the second-largest city in the Southeast Asian country of Myanmar.