False Promotion

Will answering three questions for Walmart earn consumers a $500 shopping credit to spend on groceries? No, that's not true: There is no evidence that the big box retailer has such a program. The claim appeared in a September 30, 2022 post on Shopping Daily's Facebook page. It opened: Walmart directors insists to help by spreading -- $500 shop credit…

Is there still a mystery surrounding the bright red glow under the clouds seen by a pilot flying over the north Pacific Ocean? No, that's not true: Pilot Dustin Maggard spotted the red glow on July 16, 2022. Although there was initially some question about what caused the glow, experts verified that there were commercial fishing boats in the area…

Do COVID-19 vaccines create "engineered biostructures" inside human arteries? No, that's not true: There's no evidence that happens. In an email to Lead Stories, Dr. John R. Su with the Immunization Safety Office of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said, the "CDC is unaware of any evidence that COVID-19 vaccines cause the human body to create 'engineered…

Does Ray Epps' wife work for a company that owns Dominion Voting Systems? No, that's not true: Robyn Epps is the wife of Ray Epps, who has become a target of a conspiracy theory that claims that since he has not been arrested for participating in the insurrection at the Capitol on January 6, 2021, he is therefore a government…

Is there a weight loss product that can boost your metabolism by 60 to 90 percent, that can help a person lose 52 pounds in only 28 days simply by taking a pill or eating a gummy every day? No, that's not true: These ads are deceptive in several ways and there is no evidence that such a weight loss…

Is Shell gas company doing a giveaway of $500 gas cards for $1.95 or a $250 gas card after completing a survey? No, that's not true: A spokesperson for Shell responded to Lead Stories by email on June 15, 2022, saying that Shell is not providing either of these services. There is no evidence on Shell's website of the company…

Is the new Russian website "War on Fakes" a real and reliable fact checking website run by "experts and journalists"? We have questions. The site appeared to spring up almost overnight in early March 2022 in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and started publishing articles in several languages meant to look like fact checks, often accompanied with…

Was a German chemist murdered for exposing the truth about graphene hydroxide in COVID-19 vaccines? No, that's not true: There is no evidence Dr. Andreas Noack died from unnatural causes. A spokesperson for the Landespolizeidirektion Kärnten, the state police headquarters in the Austrian state of Carinthia, confirmed Noack's death in a December 7, 2021, phone call to Lead Stories. Details…

Were "senators" arrested at Arizona and does this mean that Trump is in trouble? No, that's not true: This nonsensical headline is clickbait intended to trick people into watching the video and joining the group promoted in the caption. One Arizona state senator, Tony Navarrete, was arrested on August 5, 2021, in connection with an investigation into suspected sexual conduct…

Does an online course completion certificate qualify a person to obtain a concealed carry permit in a specific state mentioned in a targeted ad campaign? That's frequently not true: Individual state laws on carrying concealed weapons vary greatly. Some states do not require a permit to carry a concealed firearm, some states issue a permit but do not have a…