Spotting Fakes Online

Anyone can post anything online, and that includes fake photos, made-up stories, and pretend versions of real people and companies. The goal of a fake is usually to make you feel a strong emotion – anger, fear, or excitement – so you react and share before you think. Feeling a sudden jolt is your cue to slow down and check.

First, check the source. Who is actually telling you this? Click the name or look at the web address. A real news site or company usually has a normal, correct web address; fakes often use odd spellings, like "amaz0n" with a zero, or an account made last week with no history. If you have never heard of the source and cannot find out who is behind it, treat the claim as unproven.

Second, see if anyone else is reporting it. If something big and true happened, more than one trusted source will usually cover it. Open a new tab, type a few words about the claim into a search, and look. If only one strange page is shouting about it and no one else mentions it, that is a strong sign it is fake or twisted.

Third, be cautious with perfect-looking photos and videos, because computers can now create them. Look for telltale errors, such as hands with too many fingers, garbled text on a sign, mismatched earrings, or backgrounds that bend in odd ways. A photo can also be real but old, reused to tell a new lie. A little doubt is healthy here.

Finally, watch for impostors of people you trust. A message that seems to come from a friend, a celebrity, or your bank may be someone wearing their name. If a known person suddenly asks for money or pushes an amazing deal, contact them another way you already trust before you act – and never share something just because it made you angry. Sharing a fake helps spread it.