False claim: Italians are throwing money onto the streets amidst lockdown
Google Image search reveals the images were actually taken following a bank robbery in Merida.
(Reuters) - Social media users have been sharing posts claiming that Italians are throwing money onto the streets amid the coronavirus crisis. The posts include images of banknotes discarded on roads and pavements. One claim says: "Dem say: People in Italy have thrown all of their money on the roads outside saying that this money is useless to save them from death. If you are well off spend this for the service and help of the needy. Lesson for humanity!" ( here ) and ( here )
A reverse Google Image search reveals the images were actually taken following a bank robbery in Merida, Venezuela, in March 2019. ( here , here ). Early instances of the photos posted on Twitter by the user @SegoviaBastidas can be seen here . His description matches local news reports.
Thieves discarded the bills after realizing they were old currency – the Bolivar Fuerte – which is no longer in use in Venezuela and therefore of no value. Some of the bills were set on fire. Various users on Twitter, including local journalists, commented on the heist at the time ( here , here ). National Assembly Deputy Williams Davila also confirmed the incident in a tweet.
#Merida
— Nellie Belen Izarza (@myteks) March 12, 2019
Banco Bicentenario en Merida fue robado, solo habian billetes del viejo cono monetario que terminaron tapizando las calles del centro de la ciudad
Venezuela es realismo magico y tragico
Sarai Suarez pic.twitter.com/lIeo2mpw70
The location of this incident is the Bicentennial Bank in Merida. The address is 3 Independencia Avenue with 33 Boyaca Street, an address alluded to in tweets as well.
Venezuela’s old currency was replaced with the new Bolivar Soberano on August 20, 2018. The new Bolivar Soberano currency is worth 100,000 old Bolivares ( here ).
The claims on social media are false. The photographs do not show Italy and have no relation to the novel coronavirus. Instead, they were captured following a bank robbery in Venezuela in 2019. Robbers discarded the bills, which had no value due to the currency change.
VERDICT
False claim: These photographs do not show banknotes on the streets of Italy, they were taken in Venezuela after a bank robbery in March 2019.
