Tag Archives: hundreds

Several Facebook posts shared in local community groups are falsely promoting an Argos giveaway that is not real. 

The posts, which have identical text, claim: “Argos is giving Gifts of smartphones, laptops other miscellaneous things at no charge mailed straight to your doorstep [sic]”. It says people can arrange the delivery by completing a “short 20 second form on the next page”.

A spokesperson for Argos confirmed to Full Fact that the offer is not genuine. 

One post appearing in a community group for Liverpool has almost 300 shares, while another post in a group for Mayobridge in Northern Ireland has more than 220 shares. It also appears in groups for Knock Shrine in Ireland, Worthing and Lancing in West Sussex and Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire, as well…

Hundreds of people across the UK have shared hoax appeals for information about a supposedly missing five-year-old named Bella Heather. 

Full Fact has seen examples of the posts in Doncaster (South Yorkshire), Whaley Bridge (Derbyshire), Hastings (East Sussex), Longton (Staffordshire), Dumfries and Galloway, Silsden (West Yorkshire), Wrexham, Stockport (Greater Manchester), Dewsbury (West Yorkshire) and Otley (West Yorkshire). 

All of the posts have very similar text, which says: “My niece Bella Heather she’s 5years old has been missing for 7hours. She was last seen playing with her pup on our pourch [sic] in #doncaster [or relevant location].

“An amber alert has been activated. Please keep our sweet girl in your prayers and thoughts help bump this post. She…

Hundreds of people have shared hoax appeals searching for a missing man with dementia named ‘George’ across the UK. 

Full Fact has seen examples searching for ‘George Smith’ shared in Yeovil and Nailsea in Somerset, Long Eaton in Derbyshire and Inverclyde, Scotland. The same images and text have also been used in hoax posts claiming to search for ‘George Wayne’ in Winchester (Hampshire), High Wycombe (Buckinghamshire) and again in both Long Eaton and Inverclyde. Together, these posts have been shared more than 1,800 times. 

The posts all use near-identical text, which says: “FLOOD YOUR FEEDS ~ MISSING!! in[location]. 

“Our Dad, George Smith aged 74 drove out last night in his Toyota Hilux truck and he still hasn’t returned. He doesn’t know where…

A post on Facebook falsely claims that a caravan, which was not previously claimed after a different giveaway, will be given away for free to someone who comments on and shares the post. 

The post says: “Unfortunately, our previous winner Naomi Raynott V. doesn’t follow our page and thus we have been unable to contact her for 14 days, we have been left with no choice but to give out the beautiful cabin once again to someone who Shares+Comments by Sunday 28 at 7p.m. Delivery is free within 6 weeks. [sic]”

But the caravan pictured in the post is not part of any giveaway, and is currently listed for sale by Cumbria-based caravan dealership Adventure Leisure Vehicles. 

Rick Parker, the company’s digital marketing manager, told Full Fact that the giveaway was…