Bait And Switch

Is a social media post about a missing child named 'Chloe' current? No, that's not true: The girl pictured in the post was missing but was safely found as of June 18, 2024. Social media posts share the information about the missing child and then switch to a real estate scam. The false narrative is part of a scam that…

Is there an identical "treasured item" being found in multiple locations at the same time? No, that's not true: The social media posts that describe this alleged loss are bait-and-switch posts. These posts use made-up stories to garner engagement. Once they get enough, the posters switch the content to advertise real estate. The claim appeared in a post (the post…

Did 78-year-old Walter Jones never return home after driving out with his dog Cami? No, that's not true: The man in a photo on a social media post is not Walter Jones but the chief surgeon of a veterinary hospital in Kyiv, Ukraine. The false narrative is part of a scam that inspires concerned people to share a post which…

Was an approximately 2-year-old-child, who was never reported missing, found in a town -- and are police keeping the child safe while looking for the child's guardian? No, that's not true: While this situation may have occurred somewhere at some point in time, posts circulating on Facebook in May 2024 are part of a scam and are not true. The…

Does a post being shared by various community groups about a dog hurt in a hit-and-run accident describe a real incident? No, that's not true: The post was copied and posted in different social media groups in different states and is a part of a bait-and-switch scheme. These types of posts receive engagement from users based on their attention-getting, alarming…

Do photos circulating on social media show a catalytic-converter thief caught in the act in Saint Joseph, Missouri? No, that's not true: These photos were taken in Oldham, on the outskirts of Manchester, England. A Facebook account that tries to recover stolen vehicles in the United Kingdom first posted the photos in 2020 to identify people allegedly stealing catalytic converters…

Is a post about the danger of copperhead snakes that can be detected by their cucumber-like scent a legitimate warning to a community? No, that's not true: This post is part of a well-known scam that functions to trick concerned people to share it. After some time passes, the snake post will be edited to become a real estate scam.…

Has rabies "never been proven to exist"? No, that's not true: Rabies is a viral disease that affects mammals, including humans, and is typically transmitted through the saliva of infected animals, often through bites. The existence of rabies is well-documented in medical and scientific literature, and extensive efforts worldwide are made to prevent and control its spread through vaccination and…

Did American physician and author Dr. Steven Gundry discover three "completely natural ingredients, and as a result, blood pressure disappeared forever"? No, that's not true: Gundry's publicist said that this post is a "total scam" and was not produced by his team. At the time of writing people who clicked the post's "Learn More" tab were taken to a page…

Did an upstate New York firefighter named David, along with his brother, a former NASA engineer, invent a safer, better and more energy efficient electric heater after David's daughter got carbon monoxide poisoning from a fire in her bedroom? No, that's not true: This detailed inventor's narrative, presented with the many high pressure sales tactics like special pricing and purported…