5 Scams The Internet Fell For

Apparently not everything you read on the Internet is true? Sounds fake to me.

1. Lonelygirl15

Youtube / Via youtube.com

Lonelygirl15—or Bree, as her subscribers knew her—was a viral Youtube vlogger that began filming videos of her daily life in 2006, long before vlogging became a lucrative career choice. A seemingly normal 16-year-old, Bree attracted thousands of viewers each week with her bubbly personality and stories about homeschooling, her weirdly strict parents, and her best friend Daniel. However, some viewers began to suspect that something was amiss when Bree started dropping hints that her family was involved in cult practices.

After three months of videos, the whole Lonelygirl15 setup was revealed to be a scam. “Bree” was actually actress Jessica Rose, and her life and ramblings were created by a small team of writers. The good news? Jessica and the actor who played Daniel are still close friends, and Jessica’s eyebrows are still on point.

2. Friends Reunion

Twitter / Via Twitter: @ttomttom123

It may have been 13 years since the hit NBC sitcom Friends aired its final episode, but avid fans of the show have not given up hope that a revival may still happen one day. This is probably why the (unsubstantiated) rumors of a Friends reunion keep popping up around the Internet, further shattering the hearts of millions. Asked about a possible reprisal of his role as Joey, Matt LeBlanc told the Daily Mail this: “I can't see a reunion not feeling gratuitous. What would the story be? We all get together and what? Have coffee?" While this scenario may be exactly what fans want, it seems like a Friends reunion is not in the cards.

3. Facebook Cancellation Status

Facebook

Every few years, we find our Facebook timelines blessed with a message similar to this one:

"There are many complaints that Facebook has become unacceptably slow. The report shows that Facebook has a number of non-active members. We want to send this message to see if you are active or not. If you don’t post this message within 2 weeks you will be removed in order to get more space."

To anyone born after 1990, it’s clear that this wasn’t composed or sent by Facebook officials. But that won’t keep you from seeing the message flood your news feed as your parents, distant relatives, and people from your high school that you meant to unfriend after graduation continuously repost it “just to be safe! (;” While it’s unclear if these messages started as an innocent prank or some sort of phishing scheme, it’s clear that as long as your grandma’s Facebook account stays active, so too will this message.

4. Clown Epidemic

Twitter / Via Twitter: @BraNNueLife

While clowns are always pretty freaky, the 2016 clown sighting craze had everyone ready to square up with their local children’s party entertainers. The first sightings appeared in South Carolina, where a number of children reported that men dressed as clowns had tried to lure him into the nearby woods. From there, the Internet did what it does best and turned clown spotting into a viral sensation. Twitter accounts dedicated to clown sightings popped up left and right, and people went so far as to round up clown hunting parties, like the mob of over 500 Penn State students that took to the streets to reclaim their territory from…face painted circus performers. The situation became so wide-spread that professional clowns banded together to organize an “All Clowns Matter” march.

5. Red Bathing Suit

Sunny Co. Clothing / Via instagram.com

Where were you on May 2nd, 2017? Chances are, you were avoiding Instagram because of a certain picture of a red bathing suit. Sunny Co. Clothing, which was started by two college seniors, offered the pictured suit for free to everyone who reposted and tagged their Instagram picture. After over a million people shared the giveaway pic, Sunny Co. came out with another Instagram post saying that they’d put a 50,000 cap on the giveaway, and that they wouldn’t be able to offer refunds to people who had already paid shipping and handling but weren’t getting a suit. The moral of the story? You can delete your giveaway entry post, but people won’t forget that you fell for a social media marketing scam.