Jackie Chan death hoax reports are being used by spammers on Facebook. It follows numerous false articles and misinformation about Chan dying in recent weeks.
“Hollywood Breaking News - Jackie Chan died after perfecting a deadly stunt. Jackie Chan falls from a building of 12 floors. C.S.I are currently investigating. Watch the original video of the deadly stunt and their effort to save Jackie Chan. (for 18 years and above),” one of the messages reads.
It then offers a link to the “yahoo_newsaxx” app inside Facebook that says “Yahoo” or “Breaking News,” before sending you to a link that prompts you to download a “Media Player Classic” product.
The internal page features a fake-looking video of emergency rescue workers surrounding a person whose face isn’t shown completely. It then juxtaposes Chan’s portrait next to it.
When one agrees to using the app, it automatically posts two messages to one’s Facebook, and the cycle continues.
“Hollywood Alαrming NEWS UPDαTE - Mr.Jαckie Chαn chinese celebrity superstαr is currently in Massachusetts General Hospital. hαnging on and fighting for his life. mr.chan hαs fαllen fr0m α building that wαs 27th floor high building while trying to perform a deαdly stunt for his lαtest αction movie. The NBI is curently investigαting the αccident for p0ssible cαuses.Video footαge of the αccident cαn be viewed here on this exclusive video of jαckie fαlling to the ground, Wαtch the Full actual Exclusive Vide0 here,” reads the other message.
Keep in mind that Chan has not died. There have been numerous false reports in recent months about the action movie star’s death, all with different circumstances. Last month, Chan posted an image of himself on his Facebook, saying that he wasn’t dead.
No mainstream media entities have said he was killed. The hoax appears to have been recently started by a widely-liked Facebook page that says “R.I.P. Jackie Chan,” and was spread via Twitter.
Facebook spammers use false news to get users to click on their apps. Recently, there has been a spate of Facebook spam regarding “Harry Potter” star Emma Watson, with some offering a fake video of her naked or in compromising positions. The spam includes malicious link, which spreads pornography and other links via infected users’ profiles.
“Whatever the explanation, it’s disturbing to continue to see spams and scams spreading so effectively across the world’s most popular social network,” Graham Cluley with security firm Sophos wrote last month.
