Are a person with dementia named "Jackson Simmons" and his dog "Cami" missing and has there been a silver alert issued for "Simmons"? No, that's not true: The story has been posted on social media as a part of a bait-and-switch scam. Such scams use fake information to encourage others to share the posts. Once the posts receive sufficient engagement,…
Did Canadian singer Celine Dion pass away on or before May 7, 2023? No, that's not true: She only canceled her tour due to her health condition that, while significantly affecting the singer, according to her own words, did not appear to be immediately life-threatening. The video reused in such posts recycled the 2022 footage showing a different woman with…
Do social media posts about people "desperately trying to find the parents" of a lost "sweet girl" show a real-life call for help? No, that's not true: Entries with identical wording appeared in many places in the United States; as they gained traction, the content of those posts changed to promote dubious rent-to-own schemes and extract personal information. A sheriff's…
Is Dr. Anthony Fauci, former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and former chief medical advisor to President Joe Biden, facing imminent arrest for lying to Congress? No, that's not true: The allegation is part of a followbait or clickbait scheme. In a typical bait-and-switch move, the poster of this claim promises social media users a…
Was a young girl found alone at a gas station in multiple cities across the United States? No, that's not true: The claim is a scam meant to trick people into sharing the post. The post is an example of a common -- and deceptive -- method of advertising real estate in local markets. An example of the claim appeared…
Are police asking for help identifying a young woman who was allegedly mugged, stabbed and left for dead on a roadside? No, that's not true: The claim is a hoax meant to trick people into sharing the post to garner attention -- a "bait and switch" tactic used by scammers to redirect people to deceptive real estate advertising and other…
Did good Samaritans bring a critically injured dog who had been hit by a vehicle to a veterinary clinic? And is there now an effort to try to find the owners of the injured dog so the owners know what happened to her and where she is? No, that's not true: Although this did happen in Alberta, Canada, on August…
Does a video of a congressional hearing show Sen. Ted Cruz leaking incriminating information about U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, claiming that the nation's top law enforcer will "rot in jail"? No, that's not true: It's a bait-and-switch. The Texas senator never uses the phrase, nor mentions Garland, during the video. The claim appeared in an October 5, 2022, Facebook…
Did Sen. Ted Cruz angrily call Rep. Adam Schiff a "son of a bitch" in public remarks during a news conference held by Senate Republicans? No, that's not true: Cruz criticized only President Joe Biden during his remarks and never mentioned Schiff nor used the phrase "son of a bitch." The claim appeared in text for a video posted on…
Does this video prove Ivanka Trump is joining the Democrats to run against her dad? No, that's not true: The video contents do not match the title. Also, there is no evidence the former first daughter is anything but politically loyal to her father, former President Donald Trump. She's even mentioned as a possible running mate should he make another…
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inaccurate stories, videos or images going viral on the internet.
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