Paris Hilton is the latest victim of an Internet death hoax, with a website reporting she died in Austria, when she is actually alive and well.
According to the false story, Hilton died while filming a movie in Kitzbuhel, Austria on October 29, 2013. The story claims Hilton fell off a mountain in a remote area of Austria while filming a movie. However, according to IMDB.com, Hilton isn't currently in production on any films.
The website even provides information about the mountain area where they claim Hilton died, saying the area is, "a remote mountainous region."
The false report provides specific details, including the time of the accident, which they said occurred at 4:30 a.m. GMT. They then go on to say, "specific details are not yet available."
False reports that a famous person died while falling off of a mountain have become a frequent basis for death hoaxes. Other common causes of death are a skiing accident, a snowboarding accident and a car accident.
The stories usually spread through Facebook and Twitter, and to prevent falling for false stories, readers should check reputable news sites after reading a story about a celebrity or other notable person dying, as their death will be reported there. If social media is the only place it's reported, it's safe to assume the story is a hoax. The web sites provide links to social media to make it easy for readers to share the false story, causing it to spread when people just glance at the headline and don't read the details.
The bottom of the web site has very tiny print that reads, "FAKE...THIS NEWS STORY IS 100% FAKE!"
Hilton is not the first victim of an online death hoax. Other celebrities to have their death falsely reported include Cyndi Lauper, Jackie Chan, Michael J. Fox, Adam Sandler, Nelson Mandela, Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus and Justin Timberlake.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
