A sampler of the most widespread rumors and hoaxes that characterized the year in which the fringe became the mainstream.
Snopes→ Did Hurricane Maria Cause an Intravenous Bag Shortage Across the United States?
A California man's account brought to light one of the lesser-known aftereffects of the fatal storm.
Snopes→ Bestselling Mystery Novelist Sue Grafton Dies
The prolific "alphabet series" author had been fighting cancer for two years.
Washington Post→ In a 30-minute interview, President Trump made 24 false or misleading claims
President Trump gave an impromptu half-hour interview with the New York Times on Dec. 28. We combed through the transcript and here’s a quick round-up of the false, misleading or dubious claims that he made, at rate of one claim every
Truth or Fiction?→ Nancy Pelosi Disgusted With Trump for Letting People Keep More Money They Earned-Fiction!
Nancy Pelosi Disgusted With Trump for Letting People Keep More Money They Earned-Fiction! Summary of eRumor: House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi tweeted that she’s disgusted with President Trump for letting people keep more of the money that they
Snopes→ Did Nancy Pelosi Tweet That She Is ‘Disgusted’ With ‘President’ Trump?
An image purportedly showing a biting statement posted on Twitter by the House Minority Leader is a hoax.
Snopes→ 2017: The Year in Fauxtography
A look back at the year's biggest stories — and the hoax images that followed at their heels.
Snopes→ Kirk Humphreys Resigns from OU Board of Regents Over Controversial Homosexuality Comments
Humphreys's resignation follows a backlash over comments he made that appeared to equate homosexuality with pedophilia.
Snopes→ Is the Song ‘Over the Rainbow’ Connected to the Holocaust?
According to rumors, the "Wizard of Oz" classic was written about the pogroms in Europe before and during World War II.
Snopes→ Did Sasha Obama Crash Her Expensive New Car Into a Lake?
A fake news article wants you to hate former First Daughter Sasha Obama.
Snopes→ Net Worths of Presidents
An image comparing changes in the financial status of former and current United States presidents is not particularly revealing.
PolitiFact→ Donald Trump – Has Donald Trump signed more bills than anyone? No. (His count ranks last)
The Truth-o-Meter says: False | Has Donald Trump signed more bills than anyone? No. (His count ranks last) President Donald Trump is known for boasting about his achievements. But is he correct that he’s enacted more legislation than any othe
Internet Archive→ New Day : CNNW : December 29, 2017 2:59am-4:00am PST
Chris Cuomo and Alisyn Camerota report the latest news and top stories..This item belongs to: movies/TV-CNNW.This item has files of the following types: Closed Caption Text, Columbia Fingerprint, Columbia Fingerprint TV, Columbia Sparse Fingerprint TV,
Snopes→ Is Oral Sex Still Illegal in 18 States?
While some states still have anti-sodomy laws on the books, they are unenforceable because of a 2003 Supreme Court ruling.
Snopes→ Did the NFL Stop Donations to Breast Cancer and Military Charities in Order to Fund Black Lives Matter?
Web sites misrepresent details of an agreement between the National Football League and protesting players.
Truth or Fiction?→ 7 Women Dead From Inhaling Scents, Perfume Samples Sent by Mail-Fiction!
7 Women Dead From Smelling Deadly Perfume Samples Sent by Mail-Fiction! Summary of eRumor: Warnings that seven women were dead after sniffing perfume samples sent by mail have been circulating since early 2002. The Truth: Although warnings about seven
Snopes→ The Remarkable Sabrina Pasterski
A viral meme about a Harvard University graduate student gets most (but not all) of the facts right.
NPR→ FACT CHECK: Where Roy Moore’s Voter Fraud Claims Fall Flat
The Alabama GOP Senate nominee's lawsuit was dismissed by a judge on Thursday as the secretary of state certified Democrat Doug Jones the winner of the special election earlier this month.(Image credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Snopes→ Did President Trump Roll Back Rules Protecting Elderly at Nursing Homes?
The Trump administration scaled back an Obama-era policy of levying heavy fines against nursing homes that harm patients.
ABC News→ Trump has signed fewest bills into law, despite claiming the opposite, a nonpartisan group says
null
Snopes→ The Dyatlov Pass Incident
Despite decades of speculation about the strange deaths of nine skiers in Russia's Ural Mountains in 1959, the "Dyatlov Pass incident" remains an unsolved mystery.
Snopes→ ‘Animal Brothels’ Open in Germany as Migrant Population Hits 22 Percent?
A report connecting "animal brothels" to a surge in immigration attempted to link two misreported events in order to foment racial prejudice.
Snopes→ That’s Not Trump: Images That Didn’t Actually Show the President (or His Family) in 2017
Altered images portray Donald Trump and his family in either grotesquely unflattering or inhumanly heroic ways.
Snopes→ Did Trump Sign an Executive Order to Seize the Assets of Clinton and Obama?
Reports that President Trump issued an order authorizing the United States Treasury to freeze the assets of two former First Families are fake news.
Snopes→ Did Michele Bachmann Say Banning Mexican Food Would ‘End Illegal Border Crossings’?
A parody Facebook page comes up with yet another fake quote attributed to the former lawmaker.
Internet Archive→ Pres. Trump Meets with First Responders : CSPAN2 : December 28, 2017 11:38am-11:52am EST
President Trump met with first responders and delivered brief remarks at West Palm Beach Fire Rescue. He discussed the U.S. economy, tax reform legislation and the efforts of his administration. The president was spending the holidays with his family a
PolitiFact→ Mailbag: ‘Please clean up your act’
It’s the holiday season, and our email inbox has been filled with lumps of coal -- as well as the occasional treat. Here’s a rundown of recent reader critiques, edited for length and clarity. *** Several readers criticized our coverage of t
Snopes→ Free Bird: Officer Rescues Snowy Owl from Prison Barbed Wire
The juvenile male owl is expected to make a full recovery and will be released once its feathers grow back.
Snopes→ Stylist Accused of Giving Man Unwanted ‘Stooges’ Hairdo
Police spokesman Joel DeSpain says officers arrested 46-year-old Khaled Shabani on suspicion of disorderly conduct.
Snopes→ Special Delivery: Family Welcomes 2nd Christmas Eve Baby
Stony Brook residents Jacki and Josh Grossman had their second son on 24 December 2017, four years after their first son arrived.
Snopes→ A Cougar in Your Luggage? Hunting Carcass Found at Airport
Police say a hunter's trip home hit a snag in Las Vegas after security screeners found a dead cougar in his luggage.
Snopes→ Bundle Up: Bitter Cold Weather Takes Hold of Northern US
Bitter cold weather has taken hold of much of the northern United States and is expected to stay put for days to come.
Hoax-Slayer→ Potentially Misleading ‘Tip’ about iPhone Emergency SOS Function
According to a post that is currently circulating on Facebook you can use the SOS feature included with Apple iPhones to "send a ping to the nearest police station". The post claims that after you swipe SOS and your GPS sends the ping, a police office
Hoax-Slayer→ Christopher and Jessica Davies Now Dancing With The Pope
Often, some helpful prankster will combine two or more previous hoaxes into one and relaunch the newly minted variant on an unsuspecting Internet public. The post Christopher and Jessica Davies Now Dancing With The Pope appeared first on Hoax-Slayer.
Hoax-Slayer→ Dangerous Hoax – ‘A Needle Can Save The Life of a Stroke Victim’
Circulating health "tip" claims that pricking the fingers and earlobes of a stroke victim with a needle to release blood can save the victim's life and lead to a full and rapid recovery. The post Dangerous Hoax – ‘A Needle Can Save The Li
Hoax-Slayer→ Phishing — Fake Apple Invoice Delivered as Attached PDF
Inboxes are currently being hit by emails with the subject line "#order detail". The "from" line in the emails implies that Apple sent them. The post Phishing — Fake Apple Invoice Delivered as Attached PDF appeared first on Hoax-Slayer.
Snopes→ Trump, Obama and the War on Christmas
A look at how the phrases "Merry Christmas" and "Happy Holidays" were used under President Donald Trump and President Barack Obama.
Snopes→ Did Police Discover a Meth Lab in a Back Room of an Alabama Walmart?
Rumors that a facility for making methamphetamines was found at a store in Decatur originated with nothing more than a fake news article.
Truth or Fiction?→ George Soros Suffers Massive Heart Attack While Visiting Hungary-Fiction!
George Soros Suffers Massive Heart Attack While Visiting Hungary-Reported as Fiction! Summary of eRumor: George Soros suffered a massive heart attack while visiting Hungary on Christmas Eve. The Truth: There aren’t any credible sources to back up
Truth or Fiction?→ Slaughterbots Video Shows Future of Autonomous Drone Weaponry-Fiction!
Slaughterbots Video Shows Future of Autonomous Drone Weaponry-Fiction! Summary of eRumor: A video called “Slaughterbots” shows the future of autonomous drone weaponry, which can track and kill targets without any human assistance. The Truth