Q: Did a Democratic mayor in Missouri have a storage locker holding cash and dead bodies?
A: No. The story is entirely made-up — the town it names doesn’t even exist.
No Cash, No Corpses for Made-up Mayor
Debunking Viral Claims
These articles debunk misinformation shared on social media. We also provide resources for readers: an article and a video on how to combat misinformation.
From late 2016 to early 2025, FactCheck.org was one of several organizations working with Meta to debunk misinformation shared on Meta’s social media platforms.
Muslims Aren’t Banned From Government
Q: Did the U.S. Supreme Court uphold a law banning Muslims from serving in government?
A: No. There is no such law. Two Muslims currently serve in the U.S. Congress.
Train Crash Claims Are Off The Rails
Q: Was a Muslim man arrested for causing a passenger train to crash in Washington state?
A: No. Officials are still investigating the cause of the crash and have made no arrests.
More Claims of Alabama Voter Fraud
Q: Were illegal voters bused in to Alabama to swing the election to Doug Jones? Were thousands of fraudulent votes recorded for him?
A: Those claims were made by self-described “satirical” websites. The Alabama Secretary of State says there’s no evidence that fraudulent voting affected the outcome.
Phony Pelosi Harassment Story
Q: Is Rep. Nancy Pelosi planning to step down amid sexual harassment allegations?
A: No. There have been no such claims made publicly against Pelosi.
Fake Report of Voter Fraud in Alabama
Q: Did voters in Alabama’s special Senate election get “caught voting multiple times with fake IDs”?
A: No. The Alabama Secretary of State’s office has received no such report.
False Stories About Roy Moore Accusers
Q: Did Roy Moore accusers “Mary Lynne Davies” and “Harley Hannah” lie? Did Beverly Young Nelson admit she “forged” a yearbook message from Moore?
A: No. The first two names are not among Moore’s accusers. And Nelson said she added a date and location to a yearbook message written by Moore.
Kevin Bacon Isn’t a Trump Supporter
Q: Did Kevin Bacon say that “we are blessed to have Donald Trump as our president”?
A: No. Several quotes supporting Trump have been falsely attributed to the actor.
Sham Sharia Stories
Q: Is Sharia law now in effect in Utah and other U.S. states?
A: No. Two stories circulating online falsely claim that various American courts have instituted Sharia.
False Caption on Dead Elephant Photo
Q: Was Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke photographed with a dead elephant?
A: No. He was falsely identified in a photo that was widely shared on Facebook.