Ad Scams and Arbitrage

Is Sonic Drive-In Closing All Restaurant Locations, as Announced in 2023?

Written by: Jordan Liles

Dec. 29, 2023

Reference.com appeared to announce via online ads that Sonic would be one of several restaurant ...

Did Jake Gyllenhaal Come 'Out of the Closet' as Gay, as Online Ads Claimed?

Written by: Jordan Liles

Dec. 14, 2023

Reference.com reported via online display advertisements that the actor had "confirmed the specu ...

Is Chick-fil-A Closing All Restaurant Locations in 2024, as Announced in 2023?

Written by: Jordan Liles

Dec. 13, 2023

Reference.com appeared to report via online ads in late 2023 that Chick-fil-A would be shutting ...

Is Five Guys Closing Down All Restaurant Locations in 2024, as Announced in 2023?

Written by: Jordan Liles

Dec. 11, 2023

Reference.com appeared to report via advertising in 2023 that the Five Guys burger chain would b ...

Is 'Yellowstone' Being 'Discontinued Effective Immediately' by Paramount Network?

Written by: Jordan Liles

Nov. 14, 2023

StreetInsider.com appeared to report in late 2023 via online ads that something new and dramatic ...

Did George Clooney Come 'Out of the Closet,' As Claimed by Online Ad?

Written by: Jordan Liles

Aug. 7, 2023

We don't recommend placing blind trust in online advertisements that lead to extremely long list ...

Did Scientists Agree on the Worst Fast Food Chain?

Written by: Jordan Liles

Feb. 13, 2021

An online advertisement led to a list of the "worst fast food chains" that included Arby's, Dair ...

Is Temu Shopping App a Communist China-Based Scam That Spies on Users?

Written by: Alex Kasprak

June 5, 2023

Temu offers seemingly too-good-to-be-true deals on a massive range of products, but the app and ...

Are These Steep Driveway Photos Real?

Written by: Jordan Liles

Dec. 13, 2021

The pictures were often referred to as being "older than the internet."

Can Vinegar on a Slice of Bread Remove Odors from a Garage?

Written by: Jordan Liles

Dec. 1, 2020

This household cleaning trick assumes you don't mind the smell of vinegar.

The 'World's Loneliest House': Elliðaey's Myths Debunked

Written by: Jordan Liles

Nov. 12, 2021

Here are the facts and myths behind the viral photograph.

No, Standard Medicare Doesn't Cover 'Grocery Benefit Programs'

Written by: Izz Scott LaMagdeleine

March 26, 2023

Watch out for ads claiming you get hundreds of dollars in groceries a month.

Is the 'Gladiator' Airplane 'Movie Mistake' Real?

Written by: Jordan Liles

April 22, 2022

A Twitter advertisement highlighted a "movie mistake" that appeared to show an airplane's flying ...

Should a Bottle Always Be Put on Tires When Parked?

Written by: Jordan Liles

Nov. 10, 2021

We tracked down the origins of the rumor that was displayed in online advertisements.

Do McDonald's Golden Arches Symbolize a Mother's Breasts?

Written by: Jordan Liles

March 17, 2021

We tracked down the origins of the tale of a psychologist named Louis Cheskin, who purportedly a ...

Did Fishermen Rescue an Animal from an Iceberg?

Written by: Jordan Liles

Dec. 9, 2020

It's unusual for viral stories to deliver on adjectives like "unbelievable."

Was the 'Most Loved Line' in 'Blazing Saddles' a 'Mistake'?

Written by: Alex Kasprak

Feb. 14, 2021

Good luck identifying the part of this endless, ad-infested clickbait slideshow that purports to ...

Did Meghan Markle's Net Worth Make the Queen 'Cringe'?

Written by: Jordan Liles

Dec. 12, 2020

Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and their son, Archie, moved away from the royal family to Montecit ...

Is This a Real Photo of an Airplane and a Train on a Runway?

Written by: Jordan Liles

March 2, 2021

We tracked down the original picture and found that it featured a plane, a train, and an automob ...

Did Tom Selleck Leave 'Blue Bloods' and Offer Some 'Final Words'?

Written by: Jordan Liles

Jan. 26, 2021

The eleventh season of the Tom Selleck-led CBS television drama "Blue Bloods" premiered later th ...