Did a video authentically show someone proving Starbucks is running a "Coffee Scam" by showing all cup sizes contain an equal amount of coffee? No, that's not true: The video was published by an account that says it publishes "magic, pran
Search Results (1348) for: scam
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Joselyn Valdo Santos Is NOT A Suspect In The Death of 7-Month-Old Charlotte Jones — It’s A Scam Post
Are homicide detectives searching for Joselyn Valdo Santos for the killing of three-month-old Charlotte Jones on April 1, 2025? No, that's not true: Social media posts making the claim are part of a bait-and-switch scam designed to lure y
PolitiFact→ Facebook posts – This police officer isn’t in danger, but your personal information might be; these posts are scams
Photo shows a missing police officer in “extreme danger.”
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Posts About a ‘Heavily Stabbed’ Woman Found In An Audi A7 Are SCAMS
Did a series of Facebook posts in late March and early April 2025 offer genuine concern over an unidentified woman supposedly found "heavily stabbed" in a black Audi A7, in various locations in the United States? No, that's not true: Such
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Posts About Baby Boy ‘Found Abandoned By The Roadside Roughly An Hour Ago’ Are A Scam
Are Facebook posts reporting a baby boy was found "abandoned by the roadside roughly an hour ago" in March and April 2025 genuine? No, that's not true: The posts are part of a bait-and-switch scam designed to lure social media users into
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Posts About ‘Missing Police Officer’ Katie Cunningham Are SCAMS
Did a series of Facebook posts in late March and early April 2025 offer genuine concern over Katie Cunningham, a police officer supposedly missing from various locations in the United States? No, that's not true: Such posts were examples
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Posts About ‘Missing Daughter’ Blasia Lackey Are SCAMS
Did a series of Facebook posts in late March 2025 offer genuine concern over Blasia Lackey, a teenager supposedly missing from various locations in the United States? No, that's not true: Such posts were examples of a known "bait-and-swit
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: SCAM Bittrex Emails Sent Via Govdelivery.com Domain Are NOT Real — Company Issued Warning
Are emails sent via the public.govdelivery.com email domain and claiming to be about an "unclaimed balance" at Bittrex legitimate? No, that's not true: They appear to be part of an email scam aimed at former users of the now defunct compa
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: FAKE Facebook Warning Says ‘Justin Scott’ and ‘Carla Howell’ Are Fugitive Suspects In Death Of Baby ‘Emily Darnell’ — Part Of Scam
Does a Facebook post alert users to an authentic "Homicide Bureau" fugitive case identifying 'Justin Scott' and 'Carla Howell' as suspects in the death of a 10-month-old named 'Emily Darnell'? No, that's not true: Facebook posts calling o
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: ‘Homicide Suspects On The Run’ Posts Naming ‘Seth Chancey’ And ‘Madison Smith’ Are Bait & Switch Scams
Are two homicide suspects named Seth Chancey and Madison Smith on the run for the killing of 10-month-old Derrick Taylor as of March 24, 2025? No, that's not true: The posts are fake, part of a bait-and-switch scam aimed at luring social
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: ‘Homicide Suspects On The Run’ Posts Naming ‘Shaila Bradshaw’ And ‘Tyler Chapman’ Are Bait & Switch Scams
Are two homicide suspects named Shaila Bradshaw and Tyler Chapman on the run for the killing of 8-month-old Marquel Smith as of March 24, 2025? No, that's not true: The posts are fake, part of a bait-and-switch scam aimed at luring social
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: FAKE ‘Santos Chylice’ Facebook Warning About Homicide Of Baby ‘Gonzalez Cassandra’ in Holly Hill — Part Of Scam
Is a "Homicide Bureau" searching for "Santos Chylice" over "the death of 8-month-old baby Gonzalez Cassandra" in Holly Hill? No, that's not true: Facebook posts calling on readers to be on the lookout for her used the mugshot of someone l
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: FAKE ‘Russell Robinson’ And ‘Dycorrian Wayne Lofton’ Facebook Warnings About 18-Year-Old Knocking On Doors, Stabbing — Part Of Scam
Are people in various communities in the United States and England being warned about an 18-year-old known as Russell Robinson or Dycorrian Wayne Lofton knocking on doors and attacking people after he gains their trust? No, that's not tru
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: FAKE ‘Tyler Chapman’ And ‘Shaila Bradshaw’ Facebook Warning About Homicide Of Baby ‘Marquel Smith’ In Kansas And Other Places — Part Of Scam
Is a "Homicide Bureau" searching for "Tyler Chapman" and "Shaila Bradshaw" over "the death of eight-month-old Marquel Smith"? No, that's not true: Facebook posts calling on readers to be on the lookout for them in various locations used m
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Social Media SCAM Posts Falsely Warn Tattooed Man Called ‘Talavera, Benjamin’ Stabbed Two People To Death
Is there a legitimate warning circulating about a man named "Talavera, Benjamin" on the run and charged with stabbing to death someone's two Caseyville, IL neighbors, two Pensacola, FL neighbors, two Portage, IN neighbors? No, that's not
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: FAKE ‘Homicide Bureau’ Warning About ‘Megan Brown’ and ‘Jose Alex Ramirez’ — It’s Scam Bait
Did posts on social media show an authentic warning from "the Homicide Bureau" searching for suspects named "Megan Brown" and "Jose Alex Ramirez", wanted in connection with the death of a baby named "Yolanda Clinton"? No, that's not true:
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Viral Posts About ‘Amy Sharp’ And Baby ‘Courtney Chatfield’ Are Part Of Social Media Scam
Is there a legitimate warning circulating about a girl named "Amy Sharp" allegedly on the run and charged with the murder of a baby named "Courtney Chatfield"? No, that's not true: Despite what viral social media posts say, the girl is no
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Viral Posts About ‘Monico Orona’, ‘Ryan Tyler’ And ‘Chloe Tyler’ Are Part Of Social Media Scam
Is a viral Facebook post legitimately warning people about an "18 year old boy known as MONICO ORONA" who supposedly stabbed "Ryan Tyler" and "Chloe Tyler" to death? No, that's not true: There are dozens of such posts going around, all me
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Scam Posts Warn Against Woman Going Around Neighborhoods Stealing Packages — Not Legitimate, Don’t Share
Is a warning about a woman "going around neighborhoods" and "stealing packages" legitimate and does sharing a viral message on Facebook help expose and hold her accountable? No, that's not true: The recent viral warnings use images that a
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Viral Posts About ‘Totten Skylar Rose’ And Baby ‘Courtney Chatfield’ Are Part Of Social Media Scam
Is there a legitimate warning circulating about a girl named "Totten Skylar Rose" allegedly on the run and charged with the murder of a baby named "Courtney Chatfield"? No, that's not true: Despite what viral social media posts say, the g
PolitiFact→ Facebook posts – Don’t fall for this Facebook post scam about at-large serial killer in Monroe, Louisiana
Photo shows “a dangerous serial killer” named Jaden Williams in Monroe, Louisiana.
PolitiFact→ Facebook posts – No, these aren’t photos of a baby found dumped by a roadside in 2025; it’s a scam
Images show a “beautiful baby boy, estimated to be between 7 months to a year old … found dumped by the roadside” in January 2025.
PolitiFact→ Viral image – Story about purported cop killer Ryan Edward is bait in a scam
“Serial killer Ryan Edward … is on the run after killing 3 female police officers.”
PolitiFact→ Social media is overridden with scams about a payment from the government. This one is legitimate.
Unlike online scams that ask you to click a link to receive a government payment, giveback or stimulus check, the IRS announced a legitimate automated payment of up to $1,400 to eligible people — no action required.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: 15-Year-Old ‘Natallia Goodman’ Is NOT Missing From Several Locations — It’s A Real Estate Scam
Are several social media posts truly expressing concern over an actual missing teen named "Natallia Goodman"? No, that's not true: "Natallia Goodman" was supposedly missing in multiple locations, indicating that this is a made-up story. T
PolitiFact→ Facebook posts – ‘Robert Thibodeau’ is not a serial killer on the run in your city. This is a national scam.
"The city of… is being warned to be alert & vigilant as there is a serial killer on the run,” Robert Thibodeau.
PolitiFact→ Facebook posts – No, Elon Musk hasn’t invented a small gadget to slash energy bills; claims he has are likely scams
Elon Musk has invented a small gadget to slash energy bills.
PolitiFact→ Facebook posts – Posts about purported missing police officer are scams, and misuse a photo of a deceased NYPD cop
Photo shows a missing police officer.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Bumping A Post Will NOT Help Identify 2-Year-Old Boy Purportedly Found Unattended — It’s Scam
Was a little boy, approximately 2 or 3 years old, found unattended in several locations, and is he now being cared for at a police station? No, that's not true: The posts circulating on social media are not based on a real, ongoing incide
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Fake Social Media Posts NOT Concerned Over Urn Marked ‘Zachary Levi Bowers’ In Various Places — It’s Real Estate Scam
Did authentic social media posts offer genuine concern over the discovery of an urn marked "Zachary Levi Bowers" in various places? No, that's not true: This is a common bait-and-switch scam in which social media users post heart-tugging
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Musk, Trump Have NOT Teamed Up On Crypto Scheme — AI-Generated Scam Pitch
Did Elon Musk and Donald Trump team up to conduct a cryptocurrency scam that would violate election laws, as claimed in a post on X? No, that's not true: Footage from the 2024 Tesla shareholder's meeting, streamed live, was altered with a
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Teen Named ‘Graci Mae Thompson’ Is NOT Missing In Various Cities — This Is Part Of Real Estate Scam
Is there a teenager named "Graci Mae Thompson" missing in several locations at the same time? No, that's not true: This is a bait-and-switch scam. In such scams, users on social media post stories that they then edit to display supposed r
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Social Media Posts Reporting Autistic Teen ‘Ivan Moore’ Missing Are NOT Authentic — They’re A Scam
Did a police department report that an autistic teen named "Ivan Moore" is missing? No, that's not true: The teen shown in social-media images captioned with this name is not urgently sought by any police department. This attention-grabbi
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Aldi Customers Will NOT Get Vouchers Worth Hundreds Of Dollars After Filling Out Survey — It’s Scam
Can filling out a quick survey get consumers vouchers worth hundreds of dollars at Aldi grocery stores? No, that's not true: ALDI USA has debunked similar variations of this as a scam since at least 2020. Lead Stories has also previously
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Social Media Posts Do NOT Offer Genuine Concern Over Missing Teen — They Are Real Estate Scams
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Posts About 3-Year-Old Boy Found Walking Alone Are NOT Authentic — It’s Scam Aimed At Collecting Personal Information
Do posts about a "little boy approximately 3 years old" found and "saved" by "Deputy Ryan Braidley" authentically describe a real-life situation? No, that's not true: Near-identical versions appeared on social media, claiming the rescue h
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Facebook Post About Missing ‘Granddaughter Sofia’ Is NOT Authentic — It’s Part Of Scam
Is there an active "silver alert" in July 2024 for a 5-year-old girl called "Sofia" who is missing in Edinburgh, Scotland, according to a post on Facebook? No, that's not true: A real estate ad later replaced similar versions of the post
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Social Media Posts About ‘Missing Teen’ Charlotte Sena Are NOT Authentic, Are Part Of Scam
Is there an active search in July 2024 for a missing teen named Charlotte Sena? No, that's not true: The false social media posts using the girl's name and photos are part of a ruse to entice people to share a post that spreads a scam. Ch
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Posts Showing Same ‘Missing Woman’ In Various Cities Are Bait-And-Switch Scam
Did authentic social media posts offer genuine concern over a woman with dementia found in various locations? No, that's not true: Though the woman could not be identified, several posts claimed she was found in various cities across the
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: ‘3 Year Old Baby Girl’ Named ‘Bobbi Renae’ Was NOT Found In Various Locations — It’s Social Media Scam To Generate Engagement
Was the same "3 year old baby girl," whose name is listed as "Bobbi Renae," found in various locations? No, that's not true: Although social media posts making the claim use an image of a child who was found after being missing, the post