Hoax-Slayer News Digest

New and Updated Articles

Hugh Hefner is NOT Dead - R.I.P. Hugh Hefner Facebook Virus Warning Hoax

Warning message circulating on Facebook advises users not to click on the R.I.P. Hugh Hefner page because it is a virus. Hefner is not dead as claimed in recent Internet rumours.

Wrench 3D Printing Viral Video

Viral YouTube Video purportedly depicts an adjustable wrench being 'replicated' via a 3D printer.

Fake News Report Falsely Claims Mark Zuckerberg Arrested for Child Molestation

Circulating message couched as a news report claims that Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been arrested on child molestation charges.

Shutdown Cell Phone Virtual Kidnapping Scam Warning

Circulated warning claims that people are receiving calls from criminals posing as phone service provider staff who ask them to shut down their cell phones because of an impending update. According to the message, while the victims are thus out of contact because their phones are shut down, the criminals launch a virtual kidnapping scam on their families.

Facebook 'Virus' Warning - Girl in a Plaid Skirt

Message circulating rapidly on Facebook warns users to watch out for a post showing a girl in a plaid skirt because it is a virus.

Credit Card Overdue Malware Email

Email claims that the recipient's credit card is overdue and that he or she should open an attached file to review a financial statement.

Advance Fee Scam - Facebook 2011 Sweepstakes Online Lottery

Message purporting to be from Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook, claims that the recipient has won $1,000,000 in the Facebook 2011 Sweepstakes online lottery.

Featured Video

Aircraft ditching in the ocean?

Popular Articles

Jury Duty Phone Scam Warning

Email forward warns that scammers are committing identity theft by phoning potential victims and threatening them with prosecution for failing to report for jury duty unless they reveal sensitive personal information.

Nestle Banana Baby Food Recall Warning

Circulating message warns that Nestle (or Gerber) is recalling all banana baby food with 2012 expiry dates because jars may contain pieces of glass.

Hoax: Facebook to Start Charging This Summer - Facebook Icon Will Turn Blue

Message circulating on Facebook claims that Facebook will soon start charging for access but those who repost the message on their walls will get to keep their free accounts if their Facebook icon turns blue.

Internet Rumour - UNESCO Chooses Indian National Anthem as Best In The World

Message claims that UNESCO has announced that the Indian National Anthem is the best in the world.

Giant Rabbit Photographs

Circulating photographs show an extremely large rabbit being held up by its owner

Featured Image

K7 heavy bomber

A massive aircraft built by the Russians in the 1930's?

From the Hoax-Slayer Archive

Unborn Baby Footprint Image in Email Forward

Image that arrives by email displays the clearly visible impression of an unborn baby's foot on the mother's stomach.

Charging a Mobile Phone with Peepal Leaves

Message claims that it is possible to charge a mobile phone battery by touching the stems of peepal tree leaves to the terminals.

World Record Size 'Piranha' Photographs

Email forward with photographs of a large fish with a mouth full of long, sharp teeth, claims that the fish is a world record sized piranha.

God Spilled the Paint Photograph

A beautiful photograph of desert wildflowers is circulating via email and online.

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Editorial: Twitter

Twitter is not just a microblogging platform, but also a very powerful way of receiving and exchanging information about topics that interest you. I've used Twitter for Hoax-Slayer for a while now, but I've recently been paying a lot more attention to the platform and learning a lot more about it via reading and examining how others use it. I figure it's a great way to spread the word about scams, hoaxes and computer security issues as well as engage with and learn from other Twitter users interested in those topics. To that end, I've been "tweeting" a lot more of late. And, I'm also looking to use Twitter as a kind of mini Hoax-Slayer Helpdesk, where people can fire scam or hoax related questions at me. I can't guarantee that I'll always have an answer, but I do promise to give it my best shot Smile

If you would like to join me on Twitter, just click the "Follow Me" button below: