Ad Scams and Arbitrage

Misleading ads often lead to obscure websites that host lengthy slideshow articles with lots of pages — a practice called advertising arbitrage. Snopes is here to save you the click.

An online advertisement with a photo of former US President Bill Clinton said that his sickness is so obvious now.

Is the Bill Clinton ‘Sickness’ Photo Real?

18 May 2022

A picture of former U.S. President Bill Clinton showed up in an online ad with...

Fact Check

An online ad claimed that Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy lives in a luxurious barn or on a farm.

Does Fox News’ Peter Doocy Live in a ‘Luxurious’ Barn?

13 May 2022

An online advertisement showed a picture of the White House correspondent and led to a...

Fact Check

The Ryugyong Hotel picture of the pyramid building in a sand dune or dirt hill originally came from an illustration from Nicolas Moulin.

Mystery Solved: The Origins of the Creepy Pyramid Photo

6 May 2022

An online ad featured a particularly eerie looking photo of a hotel in an apocalyptic...

Article

An online advertisement claimed that Julia Roberts daughter turns 16 and is her replica but did not show Hazel Moder.

Is Julia Roberts’ Daughter Pictured in This Photo?

5 May 2022

An online advertisement claimed to show a picture of film actor Julia Roberts as she...

Fact Check

An online advertisement for EcoPlus EcoDriver EcoFuel EcoChip said that Coke or Coca-Cola or ketchup or Colgate toothpaste or a dishwasher tablet should be poured into a car or automobile gas or petrol or fuel tank.

EcoPlus Ad Shows Coke Poured into Car’s Gas Tank

4 May 2022

We reached out to a company spokesperson to ask about this very bad idea that...

News

Is the Snake and Snorkeler Photo in Online Ads Real?

3 May 2022

A picture of a large snake and a snorkeler showed up in an online advertisement...

Fact Check

YouTube videos showed a thumbnail of a supposed rare dog breed and it also showed up in online ads as Family Thought They Adopted A Dog But When The Vet Sees It He Calls The Police.

Is a ‘Rare Dog Breed’ in YouTube Thumbnails Real?

3 May 2022

A picture of a black and "rare dog breed" with strange stripes appeared in an...

Fact Check

An online advertisement said Rangers Spot Giant Lion and Vet Is Shocked When Looking At The Ultrasound.

Is the ‘Rangers Spot Giant Lion’ Story True?

2 May 2022

We clicked through a 50-page slideshow article to find answers about a supposed "giant lion"...

Fact Check

According to a rumor an airplane or plane is visible by mistake in the movie Gladiator.

Is the ‘Gladiator’ Airplane ‘Movie Mistake’ Real?

22 April 2022

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

Fact Check

An online ad claimed that a horse refuses to give birth and when the vet sees the ultrasound he calls the police and a YouTube video also said the owner couldn't believe her eyes when she saw whom her horse gave birth to.

Did a Vet Call Police After a Horse ‘Refused’ to Give Birth?

14 April 2022

We clicked through a 50-page slideshow article to save our readers some time.

Fact Check

An online advertisement claimed to always keep a bread clip in your wallet when travelling or traveling alone.

Should Travelers Always Keep a Bread Clip in Their Wallet?

5 April 2022

We looked at the origins of a strange tip after a reader sent in a...

Fact Check

According to an online ad Chris Rock recently made a heartbreaking post on social media or elsewhere.

Did Chris Rock Make a ‘Heartbreaking’ Post?

30 March 2022

An intriguing article tease went around online after comedian Chris Rock was slapped by actor...

Fact Check