hoaxes
Tricks played publicly
Hoaxes is the plural of hoax—deliberate deceptions intended to trick people into believing something false.
A hoax may be a prank, a fraud, or misinformation: The bomb threat turned out to be a hoax.
Unlike honest mistakes, hoaxes involve intent to deceive: Internet hoaxes spread rapidly through social media.
Fraudulent imitation
- fakeryDeliberate deception or pretense
- fabricationDeliberately untrue statement
- impostureDeception through false identity
- counterfeitFraudulent imitation
forgery · bamboozle · hoodwink · dupery · charlatan · masquerade · pretense · trickery
Intentionally deceptive media content
- disinformationIntentional deceptive falsehoods
- propagandaBiased information for influence
- rumorsUnconfirmed circulating stories
- mythsTraditional untrue narratives
falsehoods · untruths · fabrication · canards · distortion · conspiracy theories · urban legends · misreporting
Dishonest money-making scheme
- swindleDeception for financial gain
- griftSwindle or petty fraud
- flimflamDeceptive scheme or nonsense
- buncoDice-based fraud scheme
phishing · Ponzi scheme · pyramid scheme · snake oil · confidence game · hustle · racket · shell game
Pranked people or their holiday
- spoofComic exaggerated imitation
- gagMouth restraint or jest
- practical jokeTrick meant to amuse
- stuntDangerous feat for spectacle
jape · put-on · wind-up · trick · tomfoolery · shenanigan · antic · mischief
Legendary North American ape-man
- Loch Ness MonsterLegendary Scottish lake creature
- crop circlesPatterns in flattened grain
- UFO sightingsReported observations of unidentified craft
- RoswellNew Mexico city, UFO-famous
sham
Fraudulent imitation
- fakeryDeliberate deception or pretense
- fabricationDeliberately untrue statement
- impostureDeception through false identity
counterfeit · forgery · bamboozle · hoodwink · dupery · charlatan · masquerade · pretense · trickery · deceit
fake news
Intentionally deceptive media content
- disinformationIntentional deceptive falsehoods
- propagandaBiased information for influence
- rumorsUnconfirmed circulating stories
myths · falsehoods · untruths · fabrication · canards · distortion · conspiracy theories · urban legends · misreporting · tall tales
scam
Dishonest money-making scheme
bunco · phishing · Ponzi scheme · pyramid scheme · snake oil · confidence game · hustle · racket · shell game · wire fraud
April Fools
Pranked people or their holiday
- spoofComic exaggerated imitation
- gagMouth restraint or jest
- practical jokeTrick meant to amuse
stunt · jape · put-on · wind-up · trick · tomfoolery · shenanigan · antic · mischief · gotcha
Bigfoot
Legendary North American ape-man
- Loch Ness MonsterLegendary Scottish lake creature
- crop circlesPatterns in flattened grain
- UFO sightingsReported observations of unidentified craft
- disinformationdisinformation, misinformation, misinformation campaigns, fake news, propaganda
- online manipulationastroturfing, bots, bot farms, disinformation, fake news
- deceptionlie, lies, lying, fake, fraud
- deceptionslie, lies, lying, deceit, decoy
- lies & deceptionlies, fibs, whoppers, tall tales, white lies
- prankspranks, prank calls, prank call, prank video, practical jokes
hoaxestruths
Accurate statements about reality
facts · realities · verities · actualities · hard evidence
- moon landing hoaxDenial of lunar missions
- viral hoaxWidely shared false claim
- literary hoax