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
Actor – Adam Sandler Dies In Snowboard Accident THIS STORY IS STILL DEVELOPING…
Actor Adam Sandler is reported to have died shortly after a snowboard accident earlier today – October 13, 2013.
The actor & novice snowboarder was vacationing at the Zermatt ski resort in Zermatt, Switzerland with family and friends. Witnesses indicate that Adam Sandler lost control of his snowboard and struck a tree at a high rate of speed.
Adam Sandler was air lifted by ski patrol teams to a local hospital, however, it is believed that the actor died instantly from the impact of the crash. The actor was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident and drugs and alcohol do not appear to have played any part in his death.
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.
Importance Notice
After considerable thought and with an ache in my heart, I have decided that the time has come to close down the Hoax-Slayer website.These days, the site does not generate enough revenue to cover expenses, and I do not have the financial resources to sustain it going forward.
Moreover, I now work long hours in a full-time and physically taxing job, so maintaining and managing the website and publishing new material has become difficult for me.
And finally, after 18 years of writing about scams and hoaxes, I feel that it is time for me to take my fingers off the keyboard and focus on other projects and pastimes.
When I first started Hoax-Slayer, I never dreamed that I would still be working on the project all these years later or that it would become such an important part of my life. It's been a fantastic and engaging experience and one that I will always treasure.
I hope that my work over the years has helped to make the Internet a little safer and thwarted the activities of at least a few scammers and malicious pranksters.
A Big Thank You
I would also like to thank all of those wonderful people who have supported the project by sharing information from the site, contributing examples of scams and hoaxes, offering suggestions, donating funds, or helping behind the scenes.I would especially like to thank David White for his tireless contribution to the Hoax-Slayer Facebook Page over many years. David's support has been invaluable, and I can not thank him enough.
Closing Date
Hoax-Slayer will still be around for a few weeks while I wind things down. The site will go offline on May 31, 2021. While I will not be publishing any new posts, you can still access existing material on the site until the date of closure.Thank you, one and all!
Brett Christensen,
Hoax-Slayer
