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.
8,224 fact-checks
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SURVEY SCAM – ‘Teen Died Immediately’ Facebook Post
The message is a typical ‘shocking video’ survey scam. Thankfully, there is no video footage. The post is designed to trick users into promoting the scam on Facebook and participating in bogus online surveys and offers.
Hoax-Slayer · English · May 5, 2014
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LIKE-FARMING SCAM – ‘Australian Cash and Prize Giveaways’ Facebook Page
The Page is a scam designed to accumulate likes under false pretences. There are no prizes. The ‘prize’ images included in the Page’s bogus posts are stolen from elsewhere and depict cash bundles seized in various police raids on drug dealers and other…
Hoax-Slayer · English · May 1, 2014
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Reports Claim Subway UK Removing Pork Products and Serving Halal Only Food
The claims are factual, although some of the media reports on the issue are typically sensationalist. In fact, Subway UK has had a programme in place since 2007 that considers population demographics when opening new stores.
Hoax-Slayer · English · May 1, 2014
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FAKE – Image Showing Giant Cross Crashed Through Adult Store Roof
This story was first published on April 30, 2014
Hoax-Slayer · English · Apr 30, 2014
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BOGUS WARNING – ‘ White Van With Reg 7465 CGF Stealing Dogs’
The claims in the messages are untrue. News reports reveal that the van in the picture is one used to steal scrap metal and other junk in Norway back in 2012. There is no indication that the men driving the van were attempting to steal dogs.
Hoax-Slayer · English · Apr 24, 2014
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Advance Fee Scam – ‘BBC Promo Email Award’
The email is not from the BBC and the recipient has not won the lottery as claimed. The message is an advance fee scam designed to trick recipients into sending their money and personal information to Internet criminals.
Hoax-Slayer · English · Apr 22, 2014
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SCAM – ‘Mermaid Found Inside Shark Video’
The message is a survey scam. Users who click the link will first be told that they must share the video on Facebook before they can see it. After sharing, they will be redirected to a website that provides various suspect offers and surveys.
Hoax-Slayer · English · Apr 14, 2014
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Facebook Limiting Posts Warning – ‘This is a Test’
The message does contain elements of truth. Facebook uses a very complex algorithm to filter the amount of material you see from your friends and Pages you have liked simply because there is so much material posted.
Hoax-Slayer · English · Apr 11, 2014
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SCAM – ‘Devil’s Pool Fall Epic Selfie Video’
The message is a scam designed to trick people into creating accounts on a suspect video streaming website. The photograph of the man is genuine, but he did not fall as claimed and there is no video.
Hoax-Slayer · English · Apr 10, 2014
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LIKE-FARMING SCAM – ‘Wife Pregnant for 13 Months Needs Prayers’
The claims in the message are outright lies. The photograph depicts a woman in a Haiti hospital maternity ward and was taken in March 2009.
Hoax-Slayer · English · Apr 8, 2014
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iTunes Purchase Receipt Phishing Scam
The email is not from iTunes and the listed order details are fake. Those panicked into clicking the link will be taken to a bogus website that asks them to supply personal and financial information.
Hoax-Slayer · English · Apr 7, 2014
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Lamborghini Giveaway Facebook Like-Farming Scam
The message is a scam. The Page is not giving away Lamborghinis as claimed. The post is a typical like-farming scam designed to increase the popularity and reach of the bogus Page and garner more likes under false pretences.
Hoax-Slayer · English · Apr 1, 2014
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HOAX – ‘British Scientists Clone Dinosaur’
The claims in the message are nonsense. Scientists have certainly not cloned a dinosaur. The image in the report depicts a newborn macropod (kangaroo, wallaby or wallaroo), not a dinosaur.
Hoax-Slayer · English · Mar 31, 2014
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Facebook Sick Child Hoax – ‘Help Boy with Massive Tumour by Liking, Sharing and Commenting’
The message is a disgusting hoax designed to gather likes for a particular Facebook Page and promote it further via shares and comments. Neither Facebook nor CNN will donate money to help the child just because a person likes, shares or comments on his image.
Hoax-Slayer · English · Mar 31, 2014
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‘Eagle Snatching Kid’ Viral Video is Fake
The video is not real footage. It is a clever fake created by students at a media-training centre. The video first went viral back in 2012, but again gained momentum in early 2014.
Hoax-Slayer · English · Mar 21, 2014
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‘All Paid For Disney World Vacation’ Like-Farming Scam
The Page is a typical like-farming scam. There is no prize and the Page is not an official Disney World page. The fake Page is an attempt to trick Facebook users into liking and sharing, thereby increasing visitor numbers and Page likes.
Hoax-Slayer · English · Mar 19, 2014
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Viral Video Showing UFO Emerging From Behind Cloud
Alas, the footage does not depict a real UFO. The video is part of a viral marketing campaign created by a Brazilian advertising company called Atitude Comunicacao. The promotion, which launched back in 2011, was for pizza box advertising company, Pizzboxx.
Hoax-Slayer · English · Mar 18, 2014
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HOAX – Malaysia Airlines ‘Lose Yourself’ Advertisement
The message is a hoax. The poster is not a genuine Malaysia Airlines advertisement. Real Malaysia Airlines promotional material has been altered to include the fake slogans. The pictured aircraft is an A380, not a 777.
Hoax-Slayer · English · Mar 17, 2014
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HOAX – ‘Dinosaur Egg Hatches In Berlin Museum’
The claims in the message are pure nonsense. Of course, no dinosaur egg has hatched, in Berlin or anywhere else. While many dinosaur eggs have been discovered and displayed in museums, the items are fossils and the chances of one actually hatching is – of…
Hoax-Slayer · English · Mar 13, 2014
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Microsoft Account ‘Outlook Web Access’ Phishing Scam
The email is not from Microsoft and the claim that users must click a link to upgrade their email accounts is a lie. The message is a phishing scam designed to trick users into sending their Microsoft account login details to criminals.
Hoax-Slayer · English · Mar 10, 2014
Entries are collected from public fact-checking sites and link back to the original article.