This page compiles the 25 urban legends that circulated the most widely on the Internet in 2015, as determined by frequency of access, user searches, reader e-mail, and media coverage.

Facebook Privacy Notice

1) FALSE: Posting a legal notice on your Facebook wall will protect your copyright and privacy rights.

Mark Zuckerberg Giveaway Hoax

2) FALSE: Mark Zuckerberg is giving away $4.5 million to Facebook users who share a “thank you” message.

Full of Bull

3) FALSE: Red Bull and other brands of energy drink contain bull semen.

Dead Ringer Singer

4) FALSE: The body of a homeless man found in San Diego was identified as that of Elvis Presley.

Donald Trump “Dumbest” Quote

5) FALSE: Donald Trump said Republicans were “dumbest group of voters” in a 1998 People interview.

Facebook Charges

6) FALSE: Facebook will soon start charging users a monthly fee for using their social network.

Charity Check

7) MIXTURE: A comparison of the salaries of top executives of several large charitable organizations.

Tainted Blood Oranges

8) FALSE: Oranges from Libya have been injected with HIV-positive blood and pose a danger of infection.

Papal Declaration

9) FALSE: Pope Francis said belief in God is not necessary to be a good person.

15 Days of Darkness

10) FALSE: NASA confirmed the world will experience 15 straight days of darkness.

Race Kors

11) FALSE: Fashion CEO Michael Kors said he is tired of “pretending to like blacks.”

Willie Nelson Death Hoax

12) FALSE: Country music legend Willie Nelson has died.

War on Christmas Cups

13) FALSE: The coffee chain Starbucks removed all mentions of Christmas from their red holiday cups because “they hate Jesus.”

Arizona Iced Pee

14) FALSE: The FDA discovered that the Arizona Beverage Company uses human urine in many of their products.

Terrorists Buy UPS Uniforms

15) FALSE: Terrorists have acquired a large number of “missing” UPS uniforms.

Sandy Hook Hoax

16) FALSE: The FBI has revealed that no murders occurred in Newtown, Connecticut, in 2012, inadvertently admitting that the Sandy Hook massacre was an elaborate hoax.

Drinking Age Lowered

17) FALSE: President Obama has signed a new law lowering the drinking age to 18.

Sandy Hook Staged

18) FALSE: A video documents that the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School were a staged hoax.

ISIS Kill List

19) OUTDATED: An ISIS “kill list” targets several U.S. cities and towns.

Baby Boom

20) FALSE: An Indian woman gave birth to eleven baby boys all at once.

Mars Spectacular

21) FALSE: The planet Mars will make a once-in-our-lifetimes, remarkably close approach to Earth.

Cell Phone Telemarketing

22) FALSE: A directory of cell phone numbers is being released to telemarketers.

Secret Sisters Gift Exchange

23) FALSE: By participating in a Facebook “secret sister” gift exchange, you’ll receive 36 gifts (or books) in exchange for one $10 contribution.



Reverse PIN Alarm

24) FALSE: Entering your PIN in reverse at any ATM will summon the police.

Fatima Noor

25) MIXTURE: President Obama appointed Fatima Noor as the head of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in the Department of Homeland Security.