Is COVID-19 virus part of a conspiracy that has a scripted narrative designed to justify closed borders and inspire residents to stay at home? No, that's not true: A conspiracy theory on Facebook claims that the coronavirus outbreak is a move by the government against the so-called "Deep State" - a phrase common to right-wing conspiracy theorists that has not…

Is a list of virus outbreaks comparing mortality rates for Ebola, H5N1, MERS and SARS with COVID-19 - the novel coronavirus - accurate? No, it's not: The comparison of the outbreaks is extremely misleading as it doesn't take into account the rate of infections, timeframes of the outbreaks and the rapid rise in the number of COVID-19 cases. The claim…

Are all U.S. citizens entitled to $700 per week to stay at home to avoid the spread of the novel coronavirus? No, that's not true: The link in the posts takes viewers to a gorilla giving the middle finger. The post was a hoax related to the coronavirus, but the joke went viral and fooled some people. The claim has…

Is baby formula being shipped free to parents in desperate need of feeding newborns during the coronavirus outbreak if parents call company hotlines? No, that's not true: This is misleading - and in some cases, outright false - information being spread far and wide with varying messages on social media that essentially make the same claim: that by simply calling…

Lead Stories' Trendolizer has detected a HOAX story that is making its rounds on social media. This particular hoax claims that scientists at Cambridge University have linked homosexuality to the use of baby formula. The article published by known hoax/satire website, iammedia101.com, holds NO TRUTH whatsoever. The fake story begins: Scientist at the University of Cambridge have discovered a…