A statistic often cited today turns out to be based on interviews from 25 years ago, with the original source of information saying something far different.
Hoax-Slayer→ Sextortion Scammers Using Email Address Spoofing to Fool Victims
Sextortion scams are increasingly common. Scammers use a variety of dirty tricks to convince potential victims that the claims in their fake blackmail messages are true. The post Sextortion Scammers Using Email Address Spoofing to Fool Victims appeare
Snopes→ US Border Agency Says It’s Made Biggest-Ever Fentanyl Bust
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials announced their biggest fentanyl bust ever, saying they captured nearly 254 pounds (114 kilograms) of the synthetic drug.
Snopes→ Catholic Leaders in Texas Name 286 Accused of Abusing Minors
The number represents one of the largest collections of names to be released since an explosive grand jury report last year in Pennsylvania.
Snopes→ Do Ghanaians Have to Wear Their Wedding Clothes to Get Divorced?
"There are numerous curious laws in different countries of the African continent."
Snopes→ Lawsuit: Opioid Maker Considered Move into Addiction Drugs
In a statement, a Purdue Pharma spokesman said the Massachusetts lawsuit seeks to vilify the company for a broader problem.
Snopes→ Venezuela Opposition Leader to Police: Leave My Family Alone
Juan Guaido said a special police unit known for its brutal tactics had gone to his apartment while his 20-month-old daughter was inside.
Snopes→ After Further (Judicial) Review: No Do-Over of Rams-Saints
The Rams are set to play the New England Patriots in Sunday's Super Bowl in Atlanta.
Snopes→ In Reversal, Trump Says He and Intel Chiefs on ‘Same Page’
President Trump had said earlier that intelligence officials were wrong about North Korea, Iran and the Islamic State, which they said remains a terrorist and insurgent threat.
Snopes→ Did Nancy Pelosi Order Trump to ‘Use the Back Door’ for the State of the Union?
All eyes were glued to President Trump's Twitter account for a response.
Snopes→ Did President Trump Say ‘I Can Do My Job Without Any Intelligence Whatsoever?’
For some readers, the line between presidential satire and reality grows hazier every day.
Snopes→ Will Red Ribbon Nurses Kill Abandoned Babies Under a 2019 New York Law?
Scaremongering over New York's Reproductive Health Act reached fever pitch in January 2019.
Snopes→ Study: Many Small Kids in US Are Using Too Much Toothpaste
Too many young kids are using too much toothpaste, increasing their risk of streaky or splotchy teeth when they get older, according to a government survey.
Snopes→ Dilemma of Having an R. Kelly-Penned Hit: Sing or Sink It?
In the wake of multiple sexual abuse allegations against R. Kelly, some performers are denouncing songs the R&B hitmaker created for them.
Snopes→ Is Disney’s Goofy Character Actually a Cow?
While some might argue that Goofy is actually a cow and not a dog, the popular character can most accurately be described as a cartoon.
FactCheck.org→ Bogus Claim About ‘Impeaching’ Pelosi
Quick Take A claim that the White House may impeach House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is false, but it is still circulating widely online. It stems from a petition created by a conservative commentator and posted on the White House’s web page, “We
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Henry Winkler NOT Dead at 77 – NOT A Huge Trump Supporter and Lifelong Gun Lover
Did Henry Winkler just die at the age of 77? No, that's not true, the actor best know for playing "The Fonz" is not dead. A death hoax about him was published by a liberal satire website that tries to fool conservatives into thinking various
PolitiFact→ Trump disagrees with his own intelligence team. We catalog the differences
During testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee, several intelligence officials testified about security threats to the United States in a way that was sometimes at odds with what President Donald Trump has said. It didn’t take long for
FactCheck.org→ Hoyer Inflates CBO’s Shutdown Cost Estimate
The recent five-week partial government shutdown will reduce real U.S. gross domestic product by $3 billion, on net, the Congressional Budget Office estimates. At least twice, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer has said CBO put the cost at $11 billion,
Snopes→ Silicon Valley Eatery Bans MAGA Hats
The red "Make America Great Again" baseball caps, which are sold on President Donald Trump's campaign website, are still polarizing.
Snopes→ Trump Breaks Brief Public Silence During Border Negotiations
President Trump invited reporters to the Oval Office, breaking a five-day stretch with no public events.
Snopes→ Police: ‘Empire’ Actor Arrived Home with Rope Around Neck
Jussie Smollett said men beat him, subjected him to racist and homophobic insults, threw an "unknown chemical substance" on him and put a thin rope around his neck before fleeing.
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Local Man NOT Arrested After Cosplaying Mr. Freeze And Yelling Cold Weather Puns At People in Sioux Falls
Was a man from Sioux Falls in South Dakota arrested for dressing up like the character Mr. Freeze from the Batman comics and yelling cold weather puns at people in a Walmart parking lot? No, that's not true: the story was made up by a satirica
PolitiFact→ Elizabeth Warren – Warren: Top 0.1% own about as much as the bottom 90%
The Truth-o-Meter says: Mostly True | Warren: Top 0.1% own about as much as the bottom 90% Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s plan to tax the wealthiest Americans has drawn immediate fire. Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, himself a potential preside
Snopes→ Was Arminas Pileckas Murdered for Protecting a Swedish Girl from Harassment by an Immigrant?
Complicated cases and issues are often reduced to simple narratives that further political agendas.
Snopes→ Are Police Seeking the Removal of Nancy Pelosi for Treason?
An online petition advocating the impeachment of U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has garnered more than 100,000 signatures.
Truth or Fiction?→ Video of Bernie Sanders Shirtless, Singing ‘This Land Is Your Land’ in Russia in 1988?
On January 28 2019, a video of what appeared to be video of a shirtless Bernie Sanders at a dinner party in Russia in 1988 surfaced on Twitter: BREAKING: @SenSanders like you’ve never seen him!! Bernie and Jane on their honeymoon in Russia singing â
Truth or Fiction?→ Did a Man Get $20,000 of Surgery to Look Like Jesus Christ?
In late January 2019, an article appearing to report that a man spent $20,000 on surgery to look more like Jesus Christ began circulating on Facebook: A 30-year old man from Kentucky underwent some radical plastic surgery in order to physically resemb
Snopes→ Police: Man Strikes ‘Karate Kid’ Pose Before Stealing Purse
Police say the pose appears to be the man's "unique" ritual.
Snopes→ Democrats Gain in Statehouses as Some GOP Lawmakers Defect
"The Republican Party, for all of its statements of having a big tent, continues to limit the tent," said Kansas state Sen. Barbara Bollier, of Mission Hills, one of the switchers.
FactCheck.org→ Wheeler’s Misleading Carbon Emissions Math
During his confirmation hearing on Jan. 16, Andrew Wheeler, President Donald Trump’s nominee to head the Environmental Protection Agency, repeatedly used a misleading statistic to defend the EPA’s proposed replacement for the Obama administrati
Snopes→ Trump Appears to Sour on Congressional Border Security Talks
In a barrage of morning tweets, President Trump sent mixed messages about his border wall demand.
Snopes→ ICE Force-Feeding Detainees on Hunger Strike
The men say they stopped eating to protest verbal abuse and threats of deportation from guards. They are also upset about lengthy lock ups while awaiting legal proceedings.
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Scientists Did NOT Say Being Single Will Kill You Faster Than Obesity
Did scientists say being single will kill you faster than obesity? No, that's not true: a clickbait site misinterpreted a study and put a claim in a headline that is not actually made by the scientists. The story originated from an article pub
Washington Post→ Ocasio-Cortez’s 70-percent tax rate: Not so radical?
When the income levels for tax rates over the decades are adjusted to current dollars, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's tax proposal is more conservative than the system in place under Eisenhower.
Snopes→ Were 15 Homeless People Found Frozen to Death in Chicago?
A picture of a Canadian man was repurposed online to prod social media users to think about how "blessed" they are.
Snopes→ Were President Trump’s Border Wall Specs Designed to Benefit a Russian Oligarch?
A chain message made a series of questionable assertions about President Trump’s signature border wall and Russian steel magnate Roman Abramovich.
Snopes→ Did Ronald Reagan Always Wear a Jacket in the Oval Office?
Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz renewed interest in a longstanding rumor about the former U.S. president's attire.
Hoax-Slayer→ Facebook Scam Promises Free Air New Zealand Tickets to All
A message making its way around Facebook is claiming that Air New Zealand is giving all users 2 free flight tickets as a means of celebrating the company's 79th birthday. The post Facebook Scam Promises Free Air New Zealand Tickets to All appeared f
Snopes→ Police: No Footage Yet Showing ‘Empire’ Actor Being Attacked
Chicago has one of the nation's most sophisticated and extensive video surveillance systems, including thousands of cameras on street poles, skyscrapers, buses and in train tunnels.