Facebook Rumors & Hoaxes
5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays, 5 Sundays in July
A version of the "Money Bags" chain letter. Supposedly a phenomenon that only occurs once every 823 years, July 2011 had 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays, and 5 Sundays.
5 Mondays, 5 Saturdays, 5 Sundays in October
A version of the "Money Bags" chain letter. Supposedly a phenomenon that only occurs once every 823 years, October 2011 will have 5 Saturdays, 5 Sundays, and 5 Mondays.
14-Year-Old Boy Beaten Half Dead by Stepfather
Text accompanying viral image of a 14-year-old boy allegedly "beaten half dead" by his stepfather claims Facebook will donate 45 cents every time the posting is shared toward defraying medical expenses.
52 Thoroughbred Horses Need Homes
Viral Facebook posting claims 52 unwanted thoroughbred horses will be slaughtered unless people volunteer to give them homes.
100 Facebook Shares to Help Boy Get Free Heart Transplant?
Viral wall postings claim a little boy will receive a free heart transplant if a photo of him is shared 100 times.
Amber Alert '06 Mitsubishi Eclipse Plate #98B351
Hoax circulating via Facebook, Twitter, and text message falsely claims a 3-year-old boy was abducted by a man driving a 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse, license plate number 98B351.
Amber Alert Grey Car Plate #72B 381
Hoax message claims a 3-year-old child was abducted by a man driving a grey car, Quebec license plate #72B 381 (or Q72B381).
Amy Bruce Chain Letter
The sad, untrue story of 7-year-old lung cancer victim Amy Bruce — another Internet 'dying child' who doesn't really exist.
Anthrax in Tide Detergent Samples
Circulating on Facebook, online rumor claims seven people have died after receiving anthrax-contaminated Tide samples in the mail.
Audrin King Prayer Request
Circulating on Facebook and Twitter, a prayer request for 2-year-old "Audrin King" (actually Audri Kate King), who has been diagnosed with cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy.
Bobby Roberts Hacker Warning
Viral alert circulating on Facebook warns users not to accept friend requests from Bobby Roberts, an alleged hacker.
Capri Sun Mold Warning
Viral image shows a glob of mold found in a pouch of Capri Sun fruit drink in Feb. 2013. Similar incidents have been reported before.
Christmas Cards for Dalton Dingus
Circulating via social media, a chain letter requesting Christmas cards for 9-year-old Dalton Dingus, a terminally ill cystic fibrosis patient who hopes to set a Guinness World Record for most Christmas cards received.
Boston Marathon: 8-Year-Old Girl Killed in Bombings?
Viral image supposedly shows an 8-year-old girl killed in terrorist bombings at the 2013 Boston Marathon.
'Charlie Sheen Found Dead at Home' Clickjacking Scam
Links to a nonexistent video entitled "Charlie Sheen Found Dead at Home" have prompted the circulation of warnings that the links contain a "virus." Security experts say it's a clickjacking scam.
'Clarissa' Chain Letter
Chain letter tells the story of Clarissa, a little girl placed in a mental hospital for killing her mother and father.
Christmas Tree App Virus
Wall postings warn of a supposed "worst ever trojan-virus" circulating in the form of a Facebook application.
Facebook to Charge a Monthly Fee
Online postings claim the social media website Facebook is about to start charging members a monthly fee for basic services.
Facebook Attempting to Ban Nativity Picture?
Viral wall posting claims Facebook is asking members to remove a picture of the nativity scene because it's "offensive."
Derek Wyatt, Fallen Marine
Facebook status updates call for honoring fallen U.S. Marine Cpl. Derek Wyatt, who was killed in Afghanistan, leaving behind a wife and newborn son.
Dog Park Alert: Nails in Cheese
Viral image replicating on Facebook purports to document a 'new trend' at dog parks, namely people leaving cheese and ham mixed with nails to cause injury and death to pets.
Facebook Deleting Inactive Users
Chain message circulating on Facebook claims the service is overpopulated and "unacceptably slow," so members must prove they're still active by reposting or forwarding the message to others.
Diego Méndez Prayer Request
Prayer chain letter circulating via Facebook and Twitter requests prayers for Diego Mendez, a 5-year-old boy said to be critically injured when a TV set fell on his head.
'Everyone's Phone Numbers Are Now on Facebook'
Viral wall postings claim Facebook has suddenly made all members' phone numbers accessible to the public.
Gerber Banana Baby Food Recall
Rumor claims jars of Gerber Banana Baby Food with 2012 expiration date should be returned because they may contain glass.
Facebook Closed for Maintenance Feb. 29th to 31st
Prank posting says Facebook will be closed for maintenance on the nonexistent dates of Feb. 29th, 30th, and 31st, 2013.
Facebook Cartoon Profile Pic Fad Was Started by Pedophiles
Fast-spreading rumor claims the idea of replacing Facebook profile photos with pictures of cartoon characters was started by pedophiles.
Facebook Jail
Viral postings advise Facebook members against clicking the "Not Now" button when receiving friend requests to avoid getting the requesting member banned.
Facebook 'Graph App' and Privacy
Viral postings claim Facebook's new 'graph app' (graph search) feature compromises members' privacy and will make all their photos, comments and likes visible to total strangers.
Harly A. Andrews Prayer Request
Prayer chain letter circulating via Facebook and Twitter requests prayers for Harly A. Andrews (also spelled Harley A. Andrews), a 5-year-old said to be in intensive care after being injured in an automobile accident.
'Invitation Facebook' Virus Warning
Viral alerts warn users to avoid opening messages with an attachment called 'INVITATION FACEBOOK' which supposedly contains a virus that opens an Olympic torch and "burns your hard drive."
Facebook Hoax: Help Save Baby with Cancer
According to wall postings, members can help save a kid with eye cancer by sharing the message, for which Facebook will pay one dollar per share.
Help Save Infant Burn Victim
Viral medical appeal for infant burn victim claims Facebook will donate $3 for every share, $1 for every like. It's a hoax.
Linda Smith / Jason Lee / Amy Allen 'Virus' Warning
Hoax message circulating among Facebook users warns that accepting friend requests from members named Linda Smith, Jason Lee, Jason Allen, Amy Allen (and others) will cause a virus to be downloaded to your computer.
Facebook Privacy Settings
Viral wall postings purport to explain steps Facebook members can take to protect the privacy of their comments and likes.
Facebook Copyright Notice
Viral text containing legalese about privacy and copyright purports to protect Facebook members against use and distribution of their content.
Facebook Shutting Down on March 15, 2011
Online rumor claims Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the site will be shutting down on March 15, 2011.
Facebook 'Stalker' Apps
Scam messages and wall postings purport to offer an app that reveals who is "stalking" you or "creeping around your profile" on Facebook.
Facebook to Start Charging this Summer
Chain message claims Facebook plans on charging everyone but those who spread the message a fee for basic services beginning this summer.
Facebook Will End on May 15th, 2013
Viral "news story" claims Facebook will end on May 15, 2013 because founder Mark Zuckerberg finds managing the company too stressful.
'Girl Killed Herself on Halloween' Scam
Scam Facebook postings tout video of a girl who supposedly killed herself on Halloween. Links redirect users to a survey page.
'Girl Who Killed Herself' Virus
Circulating on Facebook: warnings that wall postings about a girl who committed suicide contain a devastating computer virus.
Hackers Post Porn Movies in Members' Profiles
Viral wall posting claims hackers are gaining control of Facebook members' accounts and posting links to pornographic movies on their profile pages.
Man Was Planning to Propose to Boston Bombing Victim
Caption of viral image showing a man in a red shirt tending a female victim of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings says he had planned to propose to her as she crossed the finish line.
Profile Hacker Warning
Viral rumor warns that hackers are stealing profile pictures to create fake Facebook accounts and impersonate other members.
Tipsy Tow
Viral postings tout a New Year's Eve service provided by AAA called "Tipsy Tow," a free alternative to drinking and driving.
Kayla Scott Prayer Request
Viral prayer request circulating on behalf of "Kayla Scott" (and several other names) claims a 22-month-old boy was critically injured while playing with a brad nailer (nail gun).
Photo Tagging 'Virus'
A "new" viral message warns Facebook users of a virus supposedly transmitted when you receive a notification that you've been tagged in a picture and click on a link to see it.
'Spider Growing Under Skin' Clickjacking Scam
Phoney status updates purport to link to a video showing a spider growing under someone's skin. It's actually a self-replicating survey scam.
Starbucks Gift Card Scam
Scam wall postings promise free Starbucks gift cards to users who share the offer with friends.
Switch to Pink, Gold, Black or Red Profile Color
Wall posts offering Facebook members a "Limited Time!" opportunity to change their profile to include a gold, black, pink, or red logo are a scam designed to redirect traffic to online survey sites
Tim Hortons Gift Card Scam
Scam wall postings promise free Tim Hortons gift cards to users who share the offer with friends.
'Tsunami Whale Video' Clickjacking Scam
Beware of Wall postings inviting you to view a "graphic video" of a whale smashed against a building by the March 11 tsunami in Japan.