&Quot;Government&Quot; &Quot;Benefits&Quot;

Did a migrant who was angry that he had not received a packet of government benefits throw a rock from an interstate overpass, nearly killing a woman? No, that's not true: This story appears to be based on a 2014 incident that occurred along Interstate 80 in Pennsylvania. In that case the perpetrators throwing rocks were teenage boys from Pennsylvania,…

Did Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg make remarks about how racism went into design choices after the Francis Scott Key bridge collapsed in Baltimore on March 26, 2024? No, that's not true: The video clip in a social media post dates back to a November 9, 2021, White House daily briefing. Buttigieg's 2021 remarks were a response to a direct question…

Is it against the law for athletes to endorse milk as a nutritious beverage? No, that's not true: There's nothing inherently illegal about athletes promoting milk as healthy, despite claims by Bobby Price in a YouTube video. Staff from the Federal Trade Commission, which regulates claims in advertising, told Lead Stories that "it's NOT illegal for them to say this."…

Is the U.S. government providing $5,000 to each illegal migrant and to all Americans? No, neither element of the claim is true: An immigration policy think tank contacted by Lead Stories said these claims are a "false rumor" that has been circulating since December 2023. Immigrants who enter the country illegally generally are not eligible for most federal benefits or…

Does the federal government prohibit collecting rainwater nationwide? No, that's not true: There is no such ban. The Energy Department highlights the benefits of collecting rainwater for non-drinking purposes and shares a detailed guide explaining specific regulations in each state if there are any. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) on Facebook on January 6, 2024, under the…

Does a viral social media post show an authentic memo confirming that then-IRS Commissioner Roscoe Egger instructed his subordinates in 1985 that "every tax paid into the Treasury since 1913, is due and refundable to every citizen and business"? No, that's not true: Both the IRS and the defense attorney whose case was cited in the memo agreed in the…

Do undocumented immigrants in the United States not pay taxes? No, that's not true: The claim made by Elon Musk on X that "illegals in America" do not pay taxes is "absolutely false," the deputy director of the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, a nonpartisan think tank, told Lead Stories. "Undocumented immigrants pay a range of taxes at every…

Does the state of North Carolina have an "affordable supplemental death benefit program" that will pay up to $40,000 to cover final expenses as is claimed in an ad posted on Facebook? No, that's not true: No such statewide benefit program exists. This misleading ad is intended to generate leads to sell life insurance for final expenses. There is no…

Does a government health poster list "heart attacks," "strokes" and "sudden death" as side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine, as shown in an Instagram post? No, that's not true: It is counterfeit. Though it was made to look like official Irish government health circulars, the Irish government never published a poster listing those as side effects. Additionally, there is no…

Does a purported insurance program offer U.S. veterans and servicemembers free home and appliance repairs? No, that's not true: The supposed insurance program is not associated with the U.S. government and free services aren't available. Although the U.S. government does offer special loan and grant programs for veterans to be put toward home repair, such programs do not give out…