False Promotion

Did controversial naturopath Barbara O'Neill give a $10,000 guarantee for her arthritis pain management strategies and were they endorsed by director Bruce Beresford, tennis star Margaret Court, and author David Malouf? No, that's not true: A false promotion of an herbal remedy that supposedly cured their joint pain used AI-generated voice-overs to put words in people's mouths. The fake voice-overs…

Did Walmart announce that "starting June 3rd all U.S. store locations will go back" to 24-hour shopping? No, that's not true: There was no announcement like this made by Walmart. The news page on the Walmart corporate website at the time of writing -- June 4, 2024 -- does not show any announcement or news about all Walmart stores in…

Did Barbara O'Neill guarantee that a hypertension medication will clear your vessels and cure the disease in three weeks or she will transfer $10,000 into your bank account -- and have Samuel Jackson, Jane Seymour and Tom Hanks all endorsed this treatment after it cured their hypertension? No, neither statement is true: This false promotion uses AI-generated voice-overs to put…

Did singer Kelly Clarkson and "Tonight Show" host Jimmy Fallon promote weight-loss gummies in a 2024 televised interview, as a Facebook post claims? No, that's not true: Clarkson's publicist denied to Lead Stories that she has any connection with such gummies. A Google search showed there is no evidence that Fallon promoted any weight loss or gummy products. The claim…

Did gospel singer Tamela Mann endorse weight loss gummies? No, that's not true: Mann publicly refuted that she promoted weight loss gummies. Mann and several other celebrities are falsely tied to weight loss or keto gummy endorsements. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) published on Facebook on March 23, 2024. The post included a video with narration that…

Did Australian science communicator Dr. Karl Kruszelnicki promote a blood vessel cleaning remedy on Facebook? No, that's not true: Kruszelnicki has made clear statements that he is not affiliated with this product or any other. In a post to his account on X, Kruszelnicki wrote, "I never endorse any commercial product." He also thanked people "for reporting these fraudulent 'wellness'…

Can anyone under 65 years old qualify to claim a $6,400 Affordable Care Act benefit through the Texas Relief Act? No, that's not true: There is no government program resembling what is described in a Facebook ad. The application process to see if you qualify to claim a "subsidy card" is not an official government website but a referral service…

Did Dr. Mehmet Oz promote a "cure" for prostate disease that does not require surgery? No, that's not true: A representative for Oz told Lead Stories, "This is a fake post fraudulently using Dr. Oz's name and likeness." A link that accompanied a post making the claim on Facebook redirected users to a bogus website posing as NBC News. Also,…

Did Donald Trump endorse a "$6,400 bonus" scheme before Christmas 2023? No, that's not true: Lead Stories could not find any evidence that the former president ever made any of the comments in a video making the claim, and it appears to be an AI-generated voice making the statements. There is no such federal program at the time of writing.…

Did former U.S. first lady Michelle Obama appear in a video promotion for a federal program giving out monthly $5,600 health spending cards to spend on bills, gas, groceries or "anything else you can think of"? No, that's not true: A video of Michelle Obama taken from a BBC interview has been altered with a fake voiceover that sounds like…