1st one looks to be a diplomatic lie, which you can’t actually prove that it is a lie. 2nd one can be easily cross checked by finding out if July is their annual appraisal cycle. If it is not annual appraisal cycle, I am highly doubtful that in current economic condition, any company will roll out such organisation wide random increment. This kind of org wide increment/standardisation would have been thinkable, in the “great resignation” period of 2021, but in current times, highly unlikely. But why don’t you ask some employee of the specific organisation, they will surly be able to give more precise inputs on this. You would surly know some friends, or friends of friends working in this organisation, won’t you? Just ask them this same question, and you will get the answer.