False Celeb Death Rumors Hit Web

[Echoes]

In the wake of the string of celebrity deaths including Fawcett, Carradine & McMahon, it seems the scammers are taking pleasure in creating false stories.

Jeff Goldblum, Harrison Ford dead? Fake news stories make dire claims

By Michael Sheridan
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Updated Friday, June 26th 2009, 12:39 AM

Reports of Jeff Goldblum's and Harrison Ford's deaths are grossly exaggerated.

As the nation was hit with not one, but two tragic celebrity deaths on Thursday - Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson - the Internet seemed to suggest two more Hollywood demises had occurred that same day: "Jurassic Park" actor Goldblum and "Indiana Jones" himself, Harrison Ford.

The rumors of Goldblum and Ford's untimely deaths turned out to be false, and were in fact well-known Internet pranks that once made similar claims of Tom Hanks and Tom Cruise.

"Reports that Jeff Goldblum has passed away are completely untrue," said the actor's publicist in a statement Thursday night. "He is fine and in Los Angeles."

According to Snopes.com, these stories are automatically generated with fake scenarios via prank websites. Users simply plug in any name - which in this case were Goldblum and Ford.

For Goldblum, it was suggested he fell to his death while filming a movie in New Zealand. Ford supposedly disappeared while on a boat in the French Riviera.

This kind of prank first appeared online in 2006, and targeted Hanks. Cruise was similarly reported "dead" in 2008.

The still living and breathing Goldblum and Ford do have one thing in common, however. They will be sharing the big screen in 2010. The pair co-star in the New York-set "Morning Glory," a comedy about a failing morning news program, which also stars Rachel McAdams and Diane Keaton.

nydailynews.com/news/2009/06/25/2009-06-25_jeff_goldblum_harrison_ford_dead_fake_news_stories_make_dire_claims.html

 

[Echoes]

Also, this one:

Hacker Sends Death Notice From Spears' Account
Ellen DeGeneres' Account Hacked, Too

POSTED: 2:00 am EDT June 29, 2009
UPDATED: 9:09 am EDT June 29, 2009


LOS ANGELES -- Hackers broadcast bogus information about celebrities including Britney Spears and Ellen DeGeneres after breaking into their Twitpic accounts over the weekend.

The Internet messaging system shut down part of its service after the hacking was discovered Sunday because of what the company described as a vulnerability in the mobile posting system.

Twitpic Inc., based in Charleston, South Carolina, said to disregard a message from Spears' account that incorrectly said the singer had died, and they were "implementing a fix immediately."

Twitpic is a program that allows users of Twitter to share photographs. It is not owned by Twitter Inc.

Emails seeking further comment from Twitpic were not immediately returned Sunday.


Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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[designerleather]

This stuff has been happening for years.

It is done best when a Celeb is traveling, i.e. when they are on a long flight and can't be reached for a while. I am trying to remember who that happened to recently... it was done as a joke, but long and short... no answer at home, no answer by cell