&Quot;Bait&Quot; And &Quot;Switch&Quot;

Were social media posts genuinely warning the public in late 2024 about Robert Thibodeau, who was being called a "serial killer on the run" in communities over 2,500 miles apart? No, that's not true: Tipton County, Tennessee, Sheriff Shannon Beasley responded to one of these posts, shared in that area, stating, "This is a scam and NOT TRUE." Through a…

Did President-elect Donald Trump announce $6,400 "relief checks" that "any American can qualify for"? No, that's not true: A video on Facebook showing Trump announcing the checks is a deepfake. A link in the post did not direct users to an official government website but rather to a health insurance webpage. As of this publication, the government had not announced…

Are social media posts authentically trying to find a police officer named Jonathan Diller, described as missing from towns more than 1,000 miles apart? No, that's not true: The Pittsfield, Massachusetts, Police Department replied to one of these posts shared in their area, saying, "You are sharing SPAM." News reports show Diller, a New York City officer, was killed in…

Are social media posts asking for help identifying a disoriented, lost "old lady" who may have dementia real? No, that's not true: This post is part of an online bait-and-switch scam that deceives social media users into viewing posts that are later edited to show fake advertisements. Lead Stories previously debunked similar scam posts about a lost "old lady" with…

Are social media posts posting authentic information that police officers in various states have "no idea" where an "approximately 2 years old" boy who was found and taken to a police station lives? No, that's not true: Lead Stories has debunked a variation of this particular story about an "approximately two years old" boy before. These bait-and-switch posts use an…

Have authorities in various towns and counties in the U.S. found a lost "little boy," approximately 2 years old, whose place of residence is unknown, as a post on Facebook claimed? No, that's not true: This post, and others like it, are part of a known deception to trick people into sharing content. In this scam, a shared claim will…

Was a little boy, approximately 2 or 3 years old, found unattended in several locations, and is he now being cared for at a police station? No, that's not true: The posts circulating on social media are not based on a real, ongoing incident. The deceptive posts use the same photos and captions, but change the name of the town…

Are social media posts about a 3-year-old girl named Alliyah Evans who supposedly was kidnapped from a Target store in various locations real? No, that's not true: The posts that say that she is missing in several different places -- like Greenville, North Carolina; Georgetown, Kentucky; and Stuttgart, Arkansas -- are part of a bait-and-switch scheme. Typically, users post emotional…

Did social media posts share the true story of the disappearance of Raymond Peterson and his wife Sophie from Livingston Parish in Louisiana? No, that's not true: The posts were part of a bait-and-switch technique commonly seen on Facebook where the content of emotionally charged posts calling for help later get replaced by a scam real-estate ad. The real names…

Is the offer of a $750 Shein gift card for answering a few questions after following a link on Facebook legitimate? No, that's not true: The fast-fashion retailer told Lead Stories that "this is not a legitimate offer." The terms and conditions for a gift card require more than just a questionnaire. Users must finish a certain number of "deals,…