Adam Sandler Snowboarding Death Hoax

Outline

Circulating message claims that popular actor Adam Sandler has died in a snowboarding accident in Switzerland.

Brief Analysis

The claims are untrue. Adam Sandler is alive and well. The message is just another incarnation of a series of inane hoaxes that have claimed that Adam has died.  This version comes from a nasty prank website that allows users to choose a “death” template, such as the snowboarding version used in this example and insert the name of their chosen celebrity. If you receive a message claiming that a celebrity has died, it is wise to check the veracity of the claim via a reliable news source before sharing it. And be aware that links in some versions of these hoaxes open rogue apps or malicious browser extensions.

Example

Detailed Analysis

If we were to believe everything that we read online, poor Adam Sandler has died, not just once, but several times over recent years.

In a version of the story currently gaining momentum via social media channels, the popular actor has just met his demise while snowboarding in Switzerland. The “still developing” story, which is designed to resemble a news article, claims that poor Adam died after he lost control of his snowboard and collided at speed with a tree.

But, just like previous messages claiming that the actor has died, the claims in the article are untrue. Adam Sandler is alive and well.  This variant of the death hoax originates from an amazingly poor taste website that allows users to input a celebrity’s name, choose from a selection of “death” templates, and then share the resulting fake news story with their friends.

The same snowboarding death template has been used in fake articles that have killed off a number of other celebrities, including Jim Carrey, Sylvester Stallone and Mickey Rourke. And other templates available on the site create fake stories about car accidents, fatal New Zealand cliff plunges and several other scenarios.

There has been an ongoing series of hoaxes that have claimed that well-known figures have died.  It is always wise to check if a death story you have received is true before you share it with others. If a celebrity does die, the sad event will certainly be well covered by news media around the world. Therefore, it is not difficult to verify any celebrity death claims you receive by doing a simple online news search.

Furthermore, users should be very careful when following links in such death hoax messages. Some versions contain links to rogue Facebook applications or malicious browser extensions.