Bait &Amp; Switch

Did "Mr. Luke Jones," purportedly a man with dementia, drive away from his home and fail to return, triggering the activation of a silver alert? No, that's not true: No elderly man named Luke Jones is missing at the time of writing. This story is a part of a scam formula that begins with a ruse to entice people to…

Is a woman with Down syndrome currently missing, as a viral Facebook post says? No, that's not true: The woman in the photograph was reported missing on December 15, 2023, and found the same day, according to the police department in Bellingham, Washington. Her image is being used as part of a bait-and-switch scam on social media that uses purposefully…

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…

Does this post authentically report someone's elderly uncle named Martin Jones went missing while out with their dog Baxter? No, that's not true: This is a "bait and switch" Facebook post. Social media posts that make this type of claim are purposefully creating emotional content that will grab the reader's attention in an attempt to sell them something, make them…

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 a "deadly Eastern diamond rattlesnake" actually being found in several locations across the United States that are not known as native habitats for these snakes? No, that's not true: Social media posts that make the claim are repurposing similarly worded posts to carry out a "bait and switch" scam. Social media accounts will make alarming, sensational posts that draw…

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…

Is Feeding America running promotions on Facebook to give away $500 Walmart gift cards or food stamp vouchers to people who will answer four short questions? No, that's not true: Feeding America is a real charity but these promotions are not real. Spoofed pages are using the Feeding America name and logo. Real photos have been altered to bolster the…

Did police in Charlottesville, Virginia pick up a homeless dogcalled Chloe and offer her for adoption when the owner refused to take her back? No, that's not true: The post that makes this claim is deceptively using a picture of a Texas animal rescue to draw readers to a page on Facebook that employs "bait and switch" content to lure…