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No, this video doesn’t show Jada Pinkett Smith promoting free health spending cards
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This video was altered. That’s not actress Jada Pinkett Smith promoting free health spending cards.
Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith have starred in many Hollywood movies and television shows over the years, and now social media posts are claiming the couple’s latest venture is hawking free spending cards from the government.
An Oct. 10 Facebook video opens with a clip of Pinkett Smith sitting on a couch and addressing the camera.
"Guys, is everyone ready for another round of stimulus checks? All right then, pay attention before Will starts crying again about me filling you in on this secret. Right now, the gov is paying out Americans by the thousands with these $5,600 health spending cards that get reloaded each and every month," Pinkett Smith supposedly says in the video, abbreviating government as "gov."
The video urges people to act now by "clicking the link below," claiming this offer is only available "until the end of the week."
(Screengrab from Facebook)
This post was flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram.)
Don’t get too excited — this is a scam.
Featured Fact-check
It’s not Pinkett Smith’s voice in the video. The audio has been edited to make it look as if she is promoting this health spending card. The video clip of Pinkett Smith was taken from her TikTok account.
The video also includes clips of Will Smith crying during the 2020 "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" reunion and slapping comedian Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards ceremony.
Another video made a similar claim about health spending cards and used clips of Smith with edited audio.
Flexible spending accounts are a legitimate benefit offered by some health insurance plans that consumers can use to cover health care expenses. But the government doesn’t give out free cash for these accounts; the money is typically contributed from someone’s paycheck before taxes.
The website linked in the post does not mention this offer of a "$5,600 health spending card." Rather, it advertises free or low-cost health insurance and "premium tax credits" through the Affordable Care Act.
The website is not affiliated with the federal government. The official government website for the Affordable Care Act is HealthCare.gov.
The Federal Trade Commission warns people to beware of health insurance scams. Don’t provide personal information online or over the phone to unverified sources.
We rate the claim that a video shows Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith advertising "$5,600 health spending cards" False.
Our Sources
Facebook video, Oct. 10, 2023
CareRewardsPlus.com archived site, accessed Oct. 10, 2023
Jada Pinkett Smith, TikTok video, March 25, 2022
Hollywood Life, "Will Smith Breaks Down In Tears Over 'Fresh Prince' Dad James Avery During Heartfelt Reunion," Nov. 18, 2020
The New York Times, "How Will Smith’s Slap Has Changed the Oscars," March 12, 2023
Federal Trade Commission, "Spot Health Insurance Scams | Consumer Advice," May 2021
USA.gov, "The government does not offer 'free money'," June 16, 2023
HealthCare.gov, "Health Care Options, Using a Flexible Spending Account FSA," accessed Oct. 10, 2023
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No, this video doesn’t show Jada Pinkett Smith promoting free health spending cards
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