The fact-check archive.
Thousands of dissected hoaxes in Indonesian and English: the claim, what the fact-checkers found, and the sources to verify it yourself.
1,773 fact-checks
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Ifyoubelieve
A number of different chain letters have been distributed across the internet, asking people to say if they believed in God. The chain letter is a waste of time and bandwidth, and often include the email address of an innocent party.
Sophos · English · Mar 14, 2006
- ✕Hoax
Lipstick
The following chain letter has been widely distributed across the internet. Cancer Research UK has confirmed that it is not true. Users should simply delete the email, and not forward it onto their friends and colleagues.
Sophos · English · Mar 8, 2006
- ✕Hoax
Spirit Airlines Flight Giveaway Hoax
This forwarded email message began circulating in December 2005 and claims that Spirit Airlines is giving away free air travel to those who forward the message to at least five people. However, the claim is totally unfounded.
Hoax-Slayer · English · Jan 18, 2006
- ✕Hoax
AmyBruce
This chain letter has been spread around the internet since the late 1990s. The email is false, and the Make-A-Wish foundation has a longstanding policy of not participating in chain letter campaigns.
Sophos · English · Jan 10, 2006
- ✕Hoax
Use Left Ear For Mobile Phone Warning
The claims in the message remain unsubstantiated. While there are genuine concerns about possible health risks related to mobile phone use, there is no evidence to suggest that using the left ear will in any way decrease such risks.
Hoax-Slayer · English · Jan 6, 2006
- ✕Hoax
Eye Of God Image – Hubble Telescope Email
The image is genuine, but the description includes false information. The image included in this email forward does indeed represent a real celestial object. However, the description that arrives with the image is inaccurate.
Hoax-Slayer · English · Dec 13, 2005
- ✕Hoax
Champagnelovers
This chain letter has been spread across the internet. Of course, it is not true. The text of the chain letter reads as follows: FW: Champers Hello all Champagne lovers!
Sophos · English · Oct 27, 2005
- ✕Hoax
Cell Phone Charging Danger Warning Email
This may be possible if the equipment is faulty, but the warning highly exaggerates the risk of such injuries under normal working conditions. Versions of this warning email have now been circulating for several years.
Hoax-Slayer · English · Sep 9, 2005
- ✕Hoax
GiantMars
The following chain letter has distributed across the internet since 2003, and regularly resurfaces towards the end of the month of August.
Sophos · English · Aug 31, 2005
- ✕Hoax
Half Human – Half Pig: Weird Photo of Suckling Mother and Babies
The photograph is of an artist’s sculpture and is not an image of real creatures. This rather intriguing photograph is currently circulating via email.
Hoax-Slayer · English · May 17, 2005
- ✕Hoax
Are Email Petitions Useful?
If you have been using email for any length of time, at some point you have probably received an email in the form of a petition. The message requests you to “sign” the petition by adding your name before sending it on to others in your address book.
Hoax-Slayer · English · May 10, 2005
- ✕Hoax
Charity Funds Advance Fee Scams
Advance fee scammers often claim that they need your assistance in distributing a large sum of money to charities. They often pretend to be devout Christians intent on doing good work before they die.
Hoax-Slayer · English · May 5, 2005
- ✕Hoax
Prime Minister Howard – Muslims Out Of Australia
Contains elements of truth, but is highly misleading and inaccurate Update: 2009 In early 2009, an altered version of the message falsely claimed that it was then Australia’s Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd who made the comments.
Hoax-Slayer · English · Apr 27, 2005
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How to spot an Email Hoax – Guide to Recognizing Hoaxes
Spotting an email hoax may be easier than you think! There are thousands of email hoaxes moving around the Internet at any given time. These email hoaxes cover a range of subject matter, including: Supposedly free giveaways in exchange for forwarding emails.
Hoax-Slayer · English · Feb 26, 2005
- ✕Hoax
Plastics Cancer Link Email – Freezing Plastic Bottles – Plastics In the Microwave or Car
This long-circulated email claims that freezing water or microwaving food in plastic containers or plastic wrap can lead to the consumption of cancer-causing chemicals. An earlier variant of the message referred only to the freezing of plastic water bottles.
Hoax-Slayer · English · Feb 1, 2005
- ✕Hoax
Serena Williams Interview Hoax
This hoax message claims that tennis star, Serena Williams, has made outrageous comments about her dating preferences in an interview. The bogus interview transcript claims that Ms Williams prefers to date white men rather than black men.
Hoax-Slayer · English · Nov 22, 2004
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Don't Flash your Lights? Gang Initiation Myth Hits London
Some London residents have become the latest to be caught out by an aging urban legend that claims drivers are in danger from gang members participating in a violent initiation ritual.
Hoax-Slayer · English · Nov 22, 2004
- ✕Hoax
HIV Infected Blood in the Ketchup Hoax
Like many other hoax messages, this email forward warns of a sickening and unusual danger lurking among the commonplace items and places of our daily lives. In this case, the supposed danger is HIV infected blood mixed with ketchup in a fast food outlet.
Hoax-Slayer · English · Oct 1, 2004
- ✕Hoax
Hands of God Email
This message, which features a picture apparently depicting the hands of God in the clouds, has been circulating since 2004. The original version of the message claimed that the photograph was taken after Hurricane Charley hit the US state of Florida in 2004.
Hoax-Slayer · English · Sep 12, 2004
- ✕Hoax
Hands of God Email
This message, which features a picture apparently depicting the hands of God in the clouds, has been circulating since 2004. The original version of the message claimed that the photograph was taken after Hurricane Charley hit the US state of Florida in 2004.
Hoax-Slayer · English · Sep 12, 2004
Entries are collected from public fact-checking sites and link back to the original article.