Believe it or not, the way Internet use evolved in last few years gave a new platform for hoaxers. They are now more planned with more stories and luckily with more exposure.
Following are the list of 10 popular internet hoaxes. Let’s read:
1. Justin Bieber’s hoax
There are many hoaxes circulated about Justin Bieber in past few years. One of the interesting was when the news spread all around that Justin admits to being Bi-Sexual. A website published an article that Justin Beiber admitted of being Bi-Sexual via his Twitter account. They also published an image of Bieber kissing a singer Austin Mahone.
When investigated, it is found that the twitter post was fake and the image was digitally manipulated.
2. ManBeef
Human meat has always been a subject of controversy. One more added when an email in 2001 circulated on Internet claiming a website manbeef.com sell human meat online. The website had some tips and recipes on preparing meals in support of evidence, but there was no way buying the prepared meal online. To save this hoax from being exposed, website creators claims on the website that they don’t allow customers to purchase meat from the site. It is because they prefer to deal with customers on a more personal basis.
This hoax was such a big that the U.S. FDI launched an investigation against this. Obviously, they found nothing. Later on, the creators of website declared that the site was indeed a hoax.
3. Asians eating human fetus
Another similar hoax spread all around in the same year claimed that a restaurant in Asia selling human fetus soup. They bought newborn dead bodies and fetus from hospitals, cook them and sell. The email had some photos in attachment where a man was eating the dish.
When investigated, it’s been found that the man in the picture was a performance artist Zhu Yu and the picture attached in the email was a trick. It was just a doll’s head attached with duck’s carcass.
4. Save Toby
In early 2005, James and Brain started a website savetoby.com where they claimed that they found a wounded rabbit outside of their home. Since, the rabbit needs care, they asked for the donation. They declared that if they wouldn’t receive $50,000 as a donation till June end, they will eat that rabbit. Animal right activists tried to shut down the website but failed to do so.
Expert says the website was a hoax. Words like funny and humor found in site’s search keywords. According to experts, the webmaster aimed to collect only money by triggering the emotional part of visitors. See Also; 10 Most Popular Hoaxes.
5. Three Boobed Girl Jasmine Tridevil
When a woman Jasmine Tridevil from Florida shared her photo on Internet with three boobs, it was obvious for this to being viral. According to Jasmine, she implanted a third breast in the middle of her chest and she paid $20,000 for this to a surgeon. She collected enough popularity on media and Internet for this.
When asked she denied to unveil the name of the surgeon and accept that Jasmine Tridevil is not her real name. On investigation, it is found that her website was registered in the name of Alisha Hessler who has resemblance with Ms. Tridevil. Alisha Hessler is well known for the provider of Internet hoaxes and specialist in the message of three breasted women. See Also; 10 Misconceptions About Female Body.
6. Our first time
Eighteen-year-olds Mike and Diana made a public announcement that they going to lose their virginity live and people can witness them at OFT(Our First Time). Mike and Diana shared their stories on the website that how they informed their parents about their decision, the selection of the condom and other preparation. Soon this hoax became very popular that millions of people attempted to view the site which further crashed the server.
Later, it’s been found that Mike and Diana were actors and they had plan to charge $5 to each user in the name of age verification.
7. Buy Tigers
Tigers are wild, dangerous and who can think of having them as a pet. But Aldo Tripiciano claims on his website buytigers.com that you can buy tigers online and they are totally safe. He is the only one who selling tigers online worldwide. If you want one, you just need to send him an email.
As the site started to get popularity, animal right activists started to get interfere. To stop the further chaos, Aldo Tripiciano revealed that the website is a hoax. He had never sold any tiger and even he doesn’t reply to those emails. Radio network heart selected the site as the best Internet hoaxes of all time.
8. All Americans micro-chipped
In 2007, NBC news segment scared all Americans when it predicted that US government is planning to implant RFID microchips into all Americans. The intention of government behind this project is to control all the citizens remotely. If anyone disobedient government order, he or she would be killed. The project would be completed by the end of year 2017.
The news was such frightening that it spread on social media with a speed of light. Though, the fact was little different. Yes, scientist have invented a microchip which can be implanted into your skin. But it’s only to store your medical history. Suppose, you reach hospital unconsciously and doctors have no idea of your prior medical record. It would be a life-saving technology in that case. And, of course, chip implantation would be completely optional.
9. 179 years old man in India
A man in Bangalore, India, named Mashashta Murasi, had reached the age of 179 and still waiting for death. This unbelievable news circulated by many pseudo-news outlets and got enough exposure on social media. Mashashta Murasi was born on 6th January 1835 and worked as a cobbler in the Varanasi until 1957. Of course, the news was bogus and there is no man living such long life. He doesn’t have any medical record to support his claim. By the way, the longest human life span was a French woman, Jeanne Louise Clamet, who lived for 122 years, 164 days. See Also; 10 Popular Internet Hoaxes about India.
10. Tax for having pet
A news circulated before the election of 2015 in UK that the Labour Party government is planning to introduce a radical Pet Tax to British households. Each household having a pet have to pay hundreds of pounds per month as a Tax to the government. This report originally published by a Daily Bale and spread all around via social media, blogs and forums. However, the report was fake and Labour Party had no plan introducing such law.
List Created By: Munender Singh