Tag Archives: hoax

Posts claiming that a photograph shows a five-year-old boy who has gone missing after leaving home on his bike have been shared in Facebook groups. But these appeals for information are hoaxes. 

Full Fact has seen examples of these posts in community buy and sell groups in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, and Lethbridge, Canada.  

The posts both use exactly the same text which says: “Help!!! MISSING Child!! #Gawler

My grandson Josh only 5years old went out on his bike earlier today and he still hasn’t returned.He doesn’t know where he’s going, new surroundings.There is a silver alert activated on him. Please help bump this post so we can get him home safely!! [sic]” 

We have written before about posts shared thousands of times on Facebook which used almost…

Hoax posts claiming that a rattlesnake has bitten and seriously injured a dog have been shared hundreds of times in Facebook groups around the UK. 

Full Fact has seen examples of the posts in “buy and sell” groups in Dudley (West Midlands), Carluke (Lanarkshire), Alfreton (Derbyshire) and Great Yarmouth (Norfolk).

The posts all use near-identical language, which says: “Alarm ALERT 

“Diamond Rattlesnake found in [location] bitten one of my pups today and left it fighting for it’s life .Please be watchful of your surroundings, toilets, openings, potted plants etc. Stay safe everyone

“SPREAD THE WORD AND SAVE LIFE!! [sic]”

But this isn’t a real alert. Aside from the obvious fact that the same person cannot have had their dog injured by the same snake…

A hoax appeal shared on Facebook claims that a four-year-old child called Jack Graham, pictured in the post with a fawn, has gone missing and is believed to be in need of medical attention. 

Full Fact has spotted versions of these posts in social media groups in the UK, including in Leeds and Falkirk, as well as many examples in the US and Canada. 

The posts all feature very similar text, which says in most of the versions we’ve seen: “Jack Graham is a 4 year old  who stands 3 feet, 5 inches and weighs 55 pounds. Graham has been missing since June 04, 2023 and is believed to be both endangered and in need of medical attention. 

“Graham was last seen in #[location]. Bump this post so that he can be reunited with his family. [sic]”

But the boy pictured in the…

A series of Facebook posts that claim a dog has been stolen by a man with a gun are hoaxes. The posts all use the same photos that come from the US. 

The posts show still images from CCTV footage showing a man with a gun holding a dog, and a picture of the same dog on its own.

One of the hoax posts, which has over 1,200 shares and appears in a buy-and-sell group for towns in Greater Manchester, says: “Someone in #Ramsbottom has stolen our beloved pup, leaving my 4 year old son heartbroken. If anyone has seen him, please let me know. Let’s make this thief famous and spread the word hopefully he’ll be caught soon!!!”

Posts with almost identical text, changing only the location, have accumulated hundreds of shares in community groups for Bristol, Leeds, Plymouth and

A post on Facebook, shared more than 500 times, falsely claims to be from a man named “John Ederson” from Warrington who is looking for his birth parents. 

The post, which was shared to a Warrington “buy and sell” group says: “Hello my name is john Ederson. I was born here  in warrington February 24 in 1979 looking for my birth mother or father. 

“My father’s name is Jonathan M Ederson and my mother’s name Gazelle S Ederson she was only 17 at time of my birth. My father used to be a mechanic and my mother used to work at a supermarket. That’s all info I have. Please bump this post and help me reunite with my family[sic].” 

This is not a real appeal. Besides the fact that the name of the profile that posted the appeal is not “John Ederson”, both…