Please do not attempt to create new hoaxes on Wikipedia. Here's why. |
This is a list of known historical hoaxes on Wikipedia. Its purpose is to document hoaxes on Wikipedia, in order to improve our detection and understanding of them. It is considered a hoax if it was a clear or blatant attempt to make up something, as opposed to libel, vandalism or a factual error. A hoax is considered notable if it evaded detection for more than one month or was discussed by reliable sources in the media. This list is incomplete, as many hoaxes remain undiscovered.
A hoax can be added to this page if it meets the requirements above. Do not list Wikipedia April Fools' Day pranks, or factual articles about encyclopedic notable hoaxes. Start/End Date and Length are the dates and approximate time the article was generally visible.
For many of the below hoaxes, you can see an archived version of the deleted article by clicking on its title (see also list of archived hoaxes). Some also remain available from mirror sites. Any administrator can create an archived version of a hoax upon request by following the instructions below.
Suggestions to administrators on archiving hoaxes |
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Contents
Hoaxes extant for at least one year
Hoax | Length | Start date | End date | Links |
---|---|---|---|---|
Jack Robichaux Fictional 19th-century serial rapist in New Orleans |
10 years, 1 month |
July 31, 2005 | September 3, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Jack Robichaux Please note: John Robichaux was a different, real, nineteenth-century New Orleans personality. |
Guillermo Garcia "Highly influential" but imaginary oil and forestry magnate in 18th-century South America |
9 years, 10 months |
November 17, 2005 | September 19, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Guillermo Garcia (businessman) |
Jar'Edo Wens Fictional Australian Aboriginal deity, presumably named after Jared Owens. |
9 years, 9 months |
May 29, 2005 | March 3, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Jar'Edo Wens. Archives: English article, English article's revision history. Note also: French translation, Revision history of French article, Wikidata entry, Revision history of Wikidata entry |
Pikes on Cliffs Fictional Spanish coastal house, claimed as the 16th-century home of a nonexistent Irish sailor who survived a death sentence from Sir Francis Drake. |
9 years, 8½ months |
March 17, 2005 | December 5, 2014 | Pikes on Cliffs deletion log |
The Doggs Imaginary mid-1960s British rock band, supposedly noted for barking while playing music. |
9 years, 8 months |
December 25, 2005 | August 25, 2015 | The Doggs deletion log Archive |
Gregory Namoff An "internationally known" but nonexistent investment banker, minor Watergate figure, and U.S. Senate candidate. |
9 years, 6½ months |
June 17, 2005 | January 13, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Gregory Namoff Archive |
Double Hour Supposed German and American television show, covering historic events over a two-hour span. |
9 years, 6 months |
September 23, 2005 | April 4, 2015 | Double Hour (TV series) deletion log |
Sean Mann "Allan K. Wood Distinguished Professor of Bioethics and Korean language" at the University of California, Berkeley, with a remarkable but totally fake career as a bioethicist, theologian, and anarchist. |
9 years, 6 months |
October 6, 2005 | April 5, 2015 | Sean Mann deletion log |
Snappy & friends Supposed animated show with the Kellogg's characters |
9 years, 5½ months |
March 6, 2005 | August 22, 2014 | |
Blood Eagle (band) Supposed British band |
9 years, 3½ months |
December 30, 2005 | April 21, 2015 | deletion log, addition at Blood eagle |
Nicholas Burkhart Fictitious 17th-century legislator in the House of Keys on the Isle of Man. |
9 years, 2 months |
July 19, 2006 | September 26, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Nicholas Burkhart |
Henry Vaughan Fictitious 18th-century landowner, supposedly killed by a mob and buried at the Radnorshire Arms in Presteigne. |
9 years, 1½ months |
October 28, 2005 | December 11, 2014 | Henry Vaughan deletion log Related hoax material removed in stages from Radnorshire Arms during November & December 2014. Original creation with multiple hoaxes at Radnorshire Arms Main hoax removal Removal of additional hoax information about hotel |
Emilia Dering Long-lived article about a non-existent 19th century German poet started with the basic "Emilia Dering is a famous poet who was Berlin,Germany on April 16, 1885" by a single purpose account |
8 years, 10 months |
December 6, 2006 | October 6, 2015 | Emilia Dering deletion log; deleted via A7. On the same day of the article's creation, a person claiming to be the granddaughter of Emilia Dering made a blog post with a poem supposedly attributing her. |
Claims that Lord Byron kept a crocodile and a honey badger as pets | 8 years, 8½ months |
November 20, 2006 | August 7, 2015 | crocodile added, honey badger added, both removed Crocodile mentioned in The Sunday Times |
1 year, 6 months |
January 29, 2014 | |||
To the Hills with Thee, Angharrad Nonexistent one-man play set in Wales, the United States, and Vietnam, falsely ascribed to Boyd Clack; cited a fake review by Kenneth Tynan. |
8 years, 8 months |
December 2, 2006 | August 10, 2015 | Deletion log |
Doni Kochev Imaginary 19th-century Bulgarian revolutionary against the Ottoman Empire. |
8 years, 7 months |
January 19, 2007 | August 31, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Doni Kochev |
Bodhi stones Supposed mythical stones carved from Mount Meru and distributed among eight elders in eight villages because of their sacred powers; falsely sourced to the Mahabharata before G3 deletion. |
8 years, 7 months |
August 15, 2006 | March 16, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Bodhi stones |
Jeffrey Boehm Fictitious British naval officer with supposed feats in battle at Grenada, the Saintes, and Trafalgar. |
8 years, 6½ months |
January 23, 2007 | August 11, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Jeffrey Boehm |
Catherine Higgins Nonexistent TV actress, supposedly noted for roles on the imaginary ABC shows Death Reward and Ocatavius Merredrew; G3 deletion. |
8 years, 6 months |
January 19, 2007 | July 18, 2015 | Catherine Higgins deletion log |
Library of Amartya Fictional library. |
8 years, 5½ months |
January 13, 2007 | July 4, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Library of Amartya. |
Near Dark (unfinished film) Nonexistent remake, based on claims of a remake that was cancelled in the pre-production stage. |
8 years, 5 months |
August 9, 2007 | March 15, 2016 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Near Dark (unfinished film). |
Muhammad Ali "A youth club in Ali's home town, a species of rose (Rosa Ali) and a small child have all been named after him." Apparently added by Telegraph journalist Michael Deacon to trick a friend who was compiling a quiz, and confessed to following the creation of an article about him. |
8 years, 4½ months |
November 9, 2006 | March 28, 2015 | Discussion |
Hugh Bruce Cunningham Supposed Scottish minister noted for a fictitious coat of arms and the rejection of a knighthood from King George III. |
8 years, 4 months |
March 28, 2007 | August 6, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Hugh Bruce Cunningham Archived at ejje.weblio.jp |
Collins Slip Nonexistent instruction sheet included with prescription drugs, based on a spurious 1983 accident in Akron, Ohio. |
8 years, 3½ months |
November 22, 2006 | March 8, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Collins Slip |
Eric Heineman Supposed Czech-American mathematician and electrical engineer with reputed academic career at Charles University and Yale in 19th & early 20th century. |
8 years, 3 months |
August 18, 2006 | November 29, 2014 | Eric Heineman deletion log |
Don Meme A fictitious "mythical, wise guru" in Puebla, Mexico, supposedly the subject of a nonexistent short story collection; also claimed to be a mentor for real-life bands and "an entity that appears as soon as a bohemian party is summoned." Later deleted via G3. |
8 years, 3 months |
December 14, 2006 | March 21, 2015 | Don Meme deletion log |
Victor Escobar Nonexistent Colombian student at School of the Americas, whose unexplained disappearance supposedly prompted a bill in the United States House of Representatives. |
8 years, 2½ months |
October 11, 2006 | January 9, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Victor Escobar |
Chaozhouxieye Fabricated Chinese leisurewear company "best known for their plastic open toe slippers or flip-flops" and apparently worn by Jodie Marsh, Ken Dodd, and C+C Music Factory (whose song "Things That Make You Go Hmmm" also allegedly inspired by the company) |
8 years, 2 months |
August 20, 2007 | October 22, 2015 | |
Ted and the Treble Tones Fake rock band from Fresno, credited with an imaginary 1959 hit that appears nowhere on the Billboard charts. |
8 years, 1½ months |
November 13, 2006 | January 1, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Ted and The Treble Tones |
Daniel de Búrca Nonexistent 18th-century Irish philosopher, credited with fake controversial essays that supposedly influenced David Hume. |
8 years, 1 month |
October 16, 2006 | November 30, 2014 | Daniel de Búrca deletion log Speedily deleted (A11) in 2006; article subsequently restarted and survived more than eight years before G3 deletion. |
Gaius Flavius Antoninus Supposed assassin of Julius Caesar |
8 years, 1 month |
June 9, 2004 | July 13, 2012 | Discussion at WikiProject Classical Greece and Rome |
Alyse Squillace Fictitious author |
8 years, 11 days |
February 6, 2007 | February 17, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Alyse Squillace |
The Falsetto Basses Fictitious pop band of the late 1980s, supposedly based in Asheville, North Carolina and credited with two nonexistent hit songs. |
7 years, 11½ months |
April 8, 2007 | April 3, 2015 | The Falsetto Basses deletion log |
St Angeline Fake wind-powered "submersible research centre" in the Atlantic Ocean west of England, supposedly designed for the study of life support and land reclamation systems. |
7 years, 10½ months |
October 4, 2007 | August 31, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/St Angeline |
Morgan Dee Voon Alleged amateur female scientist and possible mistress of the founder of modern genetics Gregor Mendel |
7 years, 10½ months |
April 7, 2007 | February 23, 2015 | Morgan Dee Voon deletion log Justification at the creator's talk page |
Guy de la Bretaigne Imaginary "critic, dandy, and man of letters" in 19th-century France, supposedly noted for his "studied indifference" and correspondence with Charles Baudelaire. |
7 years, 9½ months |
June 20, 2007 | April 18, 2015 | Guy de la Bretaigne deletion log |
Wolsebuse Games Fictitious 1990s video game company |
7 years, 9½ months |
February 10, 2007 | December 5, 2014 | Wolsebuse Games deletion log |
The Brothers Wing Invented Florida-based reggae band with a fictitious album |
7 years, 9 months |
March 10, 2007 | December 19, 2014 | The Brothers Wing deletion log |
PH Games Nonexistent tabletop game manufacturer in India, credited with numerous imaginary titles across multiple platforms |
7 years, 8½ months |
November 6, 2007 | July 25, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/PH Games |
The Vans Brothers Fictitious mid-2000s New Zealand blues band, with a nonexistent album and record label. |
7 years, 7 months |
January 21, 2008 | August 31, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/The Vans Brothers |
Reede-drum Imaginary frame drum from Kyrgyzstan |
7 years, 7 months |
December 10, 2007 | July 18, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Reede-drum |
A Japan Academy Prize awarded for "Outstanding Achievement in Winning an Outstanding Achievement" | 7 years, 7 months | May 12, 2007 | December 13, 2014 | added removed |
Bill Mauldin. Mauldin's friend Irving Richtel supposedly served as the model for Willie, a cartoon character of an American soldier. Mauldin served with a jeep driver named Irving Richtel (Mauldin, Bill (1944). News of the 45th, pp. 97–98, 115, 142.; Mauldin, Bill (1971). The Brass Ring, p. 164.) but never said that Willie was modeled after Richtel. After the 2008 appearance in Wikipedia, the hoax migrated to Julian M. Olejniczak's 2015 book To Be A Soldier: A Selective American Military History, p. 143, and it made it into several websites such as the Armed Air Forces History Museum and the West Point Association. |
7 years, 7 months | March 9, 2008 | October 16, 2015 | Added / removed. |
TNT television Nonexistent 2001-2002 Australian children's show on Network Ten |
7 years, 6½ months |
January 16, 2008 | August 2, 2015 | Last version prior to being tagged as hoax; Article history; redirected to TNT (TV channel) after being nominated for G3 deletion. |
James Snipplet Nonexistent 19th-century member of Parliament, poet, and songwriter, supposedly noted for his advocacy of Irish tenant farmers' rights; hoax Twitter account created for support. |
7 years, 6 months |
February 25, 2008 | September 8, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/James Snipplet |
Evarts Friedman Imaginary 1910s & 1920s vaudeville promoter, whose supposed career ended in debt, disaster, and conflict with "bailiffs, Mafioso and the Chicago State police." |
7 years, 5½ months |
June 11, 2007 | December 1, 2014 | Evarts Friedman deletion log |
Mendaxi Fictitious Greek cosmetics company, supposedly backed by Aristotle Onassis and purchased by L'Oreal in 1976. |
7 years, 5½ months |
February 17, 2008 | August 7, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Mendaxi |
Hector Does Nonexistent 1987 animated Conservative Party short films on political topics (e.g., Hector Refuses to Join a Trade Union), apparently derived from Charley Says; supposedly ordered destroyed by Margaret Thatcher. |
7 years, 4½ months |
March 21, 2008 | August 8, 2015 | Hector Does deletion log |
Nihil Pop Organization Supposed counter-cultural organization with branches in the United States, France and Italy; allegedly dedicated to "nihilism through pop culture" by means of art exhibitions, fanzines, and terrorism. |
7 years, 3 months |
June 24, 2008 | September 23, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Nihil Pop Organization |
Chen Fang A Wikipedian noticed in November 2012 that The Harvard Guide to Using Sources said that "an Expos student who was writing a paper about the limitations of Wikipedia posted a fictional entry for himself, stating that he was the mayor of a small town in China. Four years later, if you type in his name, or if you do a subject search on Wikipedia for mayors of towns in China, you will still find this fictional entry." No longer. |
6 days | February 11, 2005 | February 17, 2005 | 2005 VfD, Discussion on the Admin noticeboard |
7 years, 2 months |
September 25, 2005 | November 19, 2012 | ||
Fictitious works, Cadamekela and Durkeamynarda, attributed to Indian mathematician Brahmagupta | 7 years, 1 month |
June 25, 2007 | July 29, 2014 | Talk page discussion added, removed; removed from French and Hungarian Wikipedia in September 2015. |
Mr Bennett Goes to Town Nonexistent Nazi propaganda film set in Manchester, supposedly produced in 1937 but never released because of production complaints by Joseph Goebbels. |
7 years, 1 month |
March 15, 2008 | April 14, 2015 | Mr Bennett Goes to Town deletion log, Archived at icloud-library.com. |
Elaine de Francias Supposed illegitimate daughter of Henry II of France; hoax was suspected for years on talk page and taken apart piecemeal before final PROD deletion. |
7 years, ½ month |
February 28, 2008 | March 20, 2015 | Elaine de Francias deletion log |
J.J. Johnson Fictional NFL player with a fabricated career with UCLA, the Kansas City Chiefs, and numerous teams in other leagues |
7 years, ½ month |
October 25, 2007 | November 15, 2014 | J.J. Johnson deletion log Not to be confused with an actual J.J. Johnson who was active in the NFL at the same time |
Manfred Jung Fictitious French poet, noted for his equally spurious "philosophical or theological" poetry collection Instructions. |
7 years | September 16, 2008 | September 26, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Manfred Jung |
Gatsby Major Alleged to be Director of Bureau of Fisheries in 1897. |
6 years, 11 3/4 months |
October 23, 2008 | October 19, 2015 | Gatsby Major deletion log |
Tony's Home Spectacular but false record (#2 on the Billboard charts in 2006, 376,000 sales in first week) for an obscure rap album |
6 years, 11½ months |
September 25, 2008 | September 19, 2015 | Tony's Home deletion log |
Olimar The Wondercat Fictional children's television programme. Author later admitted he made it for his cat. |
6 years, 11 months |
August 5, 2006 | July 9, 2013 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Olimar The Wondercat |
George Colby and Colby Pirates A supposed British privateer and profiteer ("Colonial Colonel Cheese Colby"), and his group of pirates, of the French and Indian War (1754–1763) |
6 years, 10 months |
August 5, 2006 | June 7, 2013 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/George Colby, Believed by at least one book and many people online |
Robert Serber Fictitious assassination attempt, fictitious assassin added later |
6 years, 9½ months |
May 6, 2009 | February 12, 2016 | [[1]] Diff |
Napalm Brain Nonexistent English psychedelic rock band credited with two fictitious albums |
6 years, 9½ months |
February 19, 2008 | December 10, 2014 | Napalm Brain deletion log |
Daniel Pontillas Supposedly a "gentleman thief, master of disguise, and an amateur detective" in a 1905 short-story collection; partial name-change plagiarism of Arsène Lupin. |
6 years, 9 months |
July 5, 2008 | April 9, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Daniel Pontillas |
Murder of Andre Marshall Imaginary murder in Bridgeport, Connecticut. |
6 years, 9 months |
November 30, 2006 | August 26, 2013 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Murder of Andre Marshall |
Howard's Law Fictitious formula for diagnosis of atrial fibrillation, supposedly identified in 1955 by the equally spurious doctor "Howard Luci-Liu." |
6 years, 7 months |
October 2007 | May 29, 2014 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Howard's Law Cited on a MLB.com message board [2] in a totally unrelated discussion about Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard |
Milton Bradley Playmate Supposed 600-cubic-foot computer prototype designed in late 1960s to play various board games using a giant robotic claw arm. |
6 years, 7 months |
January 2008 | August 10, 2014 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Milton Bradley Playmate |
Kings of All Times Nonexistent Yemeni novel, credited to two different dubious authors, about the political and personal challenges of an Estonian and his delusional friend in Yemen. |
6 years, 6½ months |
April 30, 2008 | November 23, 2014 | Kings of All Times deletion log |
Tillery Band that supposedly perished in an airplane crash on December 12, 1956 en route to a "Lester Concert Hall", which also does not exist. |
6 years, 6 months |
November 20, 2005 | May 14, 2012 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Tillery |
O-Ha! Nonexistent sitcom on ABC (now TV5) in the Philippines, with only four episodes from 2006-2007. |
6 years, 5½ months |
October 13, 2008 | April 9, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/O-Ha! |
Kiwifruit Reference to a fictitious vulgar name "hairy bush fruit". Hoax only came to light after hoaxer admitted to it. |
6 years, 5 months |
November 6, 2007 | March 2, 2014 | Addition Blanking Removal |
Bonehill international Supposed KGB "department for exportation of revolution," blamed for a nonexistent financial scandal in Latvia. |
6 years, 4½ months |
July 14, 2008 | December 3, 2014 | Bonehill international deletion log Speedily deleted soon after creation (A1), but article was immediately rebuilt and survived more than 6 years. |
Crocodile shears Supposed torture device |
6 years, 4½ months |
March 20, 2006 | July 30, 2012 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Crocodile shears Named by Listverse as the most gruesome medieval torture device |
Rough Creek Ranch Supposed ranch in Oklahoma which claimed to be "the first parcel to be purchased in a long-term plan to re-establish the equivalent of conditions in Oklahoma which existed prior to the arrival of Europeans in the 16th through 18th centuries." |
6 years, 3½ months |
September 5, 2006 | December 15, 2012 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Rough Creek Ranch |
Assorted made-up political parties in Kosovo Democrat Republic Party Christian Party of Kosovo Union of Kosovo Party Serbian Union of Kosovo & Metohija Peoples Party of Kosovo |
6 years, 3 months |
October 11, 2008 | January 17, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Democrat Republic Party |
The Travails and Tribulations of Geoffrey Peacock Fictional novel alleged to have been written by Huxley, the book was listed on Huxley's article in 2008 and an article on the novel was written in May 2014, prompting its detection. |
6 years, 3 months (inclusion on Huxley's page) |
February 25, 2008 | May 14, 2014 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/The Travails and Tribulations of Geoffrey Peacock |
1978–79 Boston College basketball point shaving scandal Player Joe Streater was alleged to have been involved, even though he wasn't even a member of the team that year. Only identified after spreading to numerous sources, including the Associated Press. |
6 years, 2 months |
August 12, 2008 | October 8, 2014 | Signpost article |
Rhys Hopkin Supposed Newcastle Falcons rugby player and politician, with fabricated career as mayor of Durham and a brother claimed to be Labour MP for Wells; deleted via G3. |
6 years, 1 month |
June 27, 2009 | August 6, 2015 | Rhys Hopkin deletion log |
Allegation that Brierfield, Lancashire, with its smoking mills, was Tolkien's inspiration for the evil land of Mordor. | 6 years, ½ month |
March 8, 2006 | March 21, 2012 | added removed; was spotted by a blogger in August 2006 but didn't follow up; believed by sources including The Guardian |
Saint Ofelia | 5 years, 10 months |
June 8, 2008 | April 14, 2014 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Saint Ofelia |
Operation Pax Romana Fictitious Nazi program to expand the Holocaust in Romania, directed by a fake "Colonel Johannes Jodl" before his supposed escape to Brazil; hoax was revealed in a 2010 edit but self-reverted and survived five more years. |
5 years, 10 months |
May 26, 2009 | March 29, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Operation Pax Romana Archived by the Project Gutenberg Self-Publishing Press |
Gold Tea Supposed brand of tea from the Confederate States of America. Originally an unsourced stub, it was later expanded to claim that gold flakes were put into the tea for smuggling to the north. |
5 years, 9 months |
May 17, 2005 | February 16, 2011 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Gold Tea |
Unit 773 Imaginary Japanese biological weapons unit in the imaginary Chinese city of "Songo", created by a banned user |
5 years, 9 months |
October 7, 2006 | July 3, 2012 | Unit 731 is a similar actual article The imaginary Unit 773 fooled at least one website [3] and one book.[4] |
Nevsky (Russian mafia) Alleged organized crime family in Russia and the United States; supposedly reduced drastically through "constant wars with rival criminal families." |
5 years, 8½ months |
July 6, 2009 | March 31, 2015 | Nevsky (Russian mafia) deletion log |
Bryan Tyler and Mark Sims as members of Eli Young Band | 5 years, 8 months |
February 6, 2008 | October 9, 2013 | |
Gideon Planke Fictitious 17th-century witch-finder active in Shropshire, supposedly the subject of a 19th-century poem used to "enforce good behaviour on unruly children before bedtime." |
5 years, 7 months |
September 8, 2009 | April 20, 2015 | Gideon Planke deletion log Believed by a book before G3 deletion. |
La Croix du Sanguine Rouge A supposed novel by a non-existent French writer that was released in French and English. |
5 years, 7 months |
March 6, 2010 | October 3, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/La Croix du Sanguine Rouge |
Japan Television Service Nonexistent TV network broadcasting in both Japan and the United Kingdom. |
5 years, 6½ months |
February 7, 2010 | September 3, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Japan Television Service |
George P. Burdell Reference to a fictitious race car driver. Part of a group of seven long lasting vandalisms. |
5 years, 6 months |
June 28, 2009 | December 23, 2014 | Addition Removal |
George P. Burdell Reference to a fictitious record producer. Part of a group of seven long lasting vandalisms. |
5 years, 6 months |
June 28, 2009 | December 23, 2014 | Addition Removal |
George P. Burdell Reference to a fictitious West African Colonial figure. Part of a group of seven long lasting vandalisms. |
5 years, 6 months |
June 28, 2009 | December 21, 2014 | Addition Removal |
Digital Lady Nonexistent San Francisco rock band that supposedly included the brother of the White House press secretary and used acoustic guitars and kitchen utensils to simulate the Moog synthesizer. Survived more than five years before G3 deletion. |
5 years, 6 months |
December 2008 | July 12, 2014 | Digital Lady deletion log |
Amelia Bedelia A wholly fictitious origin story of the main character of its eponymous popular children's book series: "Amelia Bedelia" was based on a French colonial maid in Cameroon, where the author spent some time during her formative years. Her vast collection of hats, notorious for their extensive plumage, inspired her to write an assortment of tales based on her experiences in North Africa. After being repeated tens of times, sometimes by journalists and academics, the hoax was identified by EJ Dickson, one of its authors, turned journalist, who had written it as a joke with a friend while "stoned". |
5 years, 6 months |
January 31, 2009 | July 29, 2014 | Addition Removal Admission |
Bicholim conflict Fictitious war between the Portuguese rulers of Goa and the Maratha Empire which supposedly took place from mid-1640 to early 1641. Was assessed as a good article in September 2007, but failed a featured article nomination the next month as page numbers were not provided for references. ShelfSkewed (talk · contribs) investigated these references in 2012 and found that the main works cited do not actually exist. |
5 years, 5½ months |
July 4, 2007 | December 29, 2012 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Bicholim conflict Reference at Daily Dot and Yahoo! News |
Joswig syndrome Fake hereditary disease, supposedly identified by "H. Joswig M.D." in 1882; cited made-up reference from United States National Library of Medicine. |
5 years, 5½ months |
June 24, 2009 | December 18, 2014 | Joswig syndrome deletion log. Archived by Abebooks.com |
Majeed Pejajj Fictitious Muslim cleric |
5 years, 5½ months |
April 8, 2007 | September 21, 2012 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Majeed Pejajj |
Lloyd 2: Growing Up Nonexistent 2003 film, supposedly a sequel to 2001's Lloyd. |
5 years, 4 months |
May 6, 2010 | September 10, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Lloyd 2: Growing Up |
Midnight in Oklahoma Supposed alternative rock-country band with seven fictitious albums |
5 years, 4 months |
April 26, 2009 | August 27, 2014 | Midnight in Oklahoma deletion log |
Corey Petryschuk Supposed football player and famous musician |
5 years, 3½ months |
October 9, 2010 | January 30, 2015 | Petryschuk Corey Petryschuk deletion log |
K890 (G3) a fictitious submachine gun |
5 years, 3½ months |
November 22, 2006 | March 1, 2012 | Included in book by Source Wikipedia |
Antón de Palategui fictitious 16th century conquistador and poet |
5 years, 3½ months |
December 4, 2008 | March 17, 2014 | deleted by PROD |
Bobohetti Made-up Indian dish "consisting mainly of bay leaves and bamboo shoots," supposedly popular at fast food restaurants in Europe. |
5 years, 2½ months |
May 13, 2010 | July 28, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Bobohetti |
"Adyhaffe people" in List of ethnic groups | 5 years, 2½ months |
September 28, 2007 | December 10, 2012 | added removed |
Limping duck Nonexistent and highly unconventional form of wushu |
5 years, 2½ months |
August 3, 2009 | October 15, 2014 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Limping duck |
Chad Berryman Imaginary baseball catcher for the Philadelphia Phillies during World War II |
5 years, 2 months |
August 4, 2010 | October 13, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Chad Berryman |
Reich Corps of the Trombone (G3) fictitious Nazi organization of trombonists created by Joseph Goebbels for propaganda purposes |
5 years, 2 months |
January 29, 2006 | March 31, 2011 | Confession on Slashdot Axis History Forum image at ookaboo |
Fictitious claim about Oscar Wilde added to List of Latin phrases | 5 years, 2 months |
September 19, 2005 | November 26, 2010 | added, removed, Story and explanation |
Elijah Joel Smith A fictitious British athlete, educator, and hero of both World Wars supposedly executed in Denmark by the SS for helping Jews escape the Holocaust. |
5 years, 2 months |
September 24, 2009 | November 24, 2014 | Elijah Joel Smith deletion log |
Ernest Luxembourg Wright Fictitious Massachusetts poet and writer of the early 20th century; deleted via G3 |
5 years, 1½ months |
June 1, 2010 | July 18, 2015 | Ernest Luxembourg Wright deletion log |
Ooranayakanvalasu Nonexistent village in Indian state of Tamil Nadu |
5 years, 1 month |
November 9, 2009 | December 9, 2014 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Ooranayakanvalasu |
A Condor's Fire: a novel Nonexistent, anagram-based novel ascribed to "Richie F'lin" and set in Colorado. Hoax cited made-up reviews from the New York Times Book Review and a fake biography from Oxford University Press. |
5 years, ½ month |
July 26, 2009 | August 18, 2014 | G3 deletion: A Condor's Fire deletion log |
Childhood Retournade Nonexistent 1980s experimental French film, attributed to the invented filmmaker "Je Suis." |
5 years, ½ month |
November 20, 2009 | December 12, 2014 | Childhood Retournade deletion log |
The Restless Nevers Fictitious Washington band with false claims of touring with Kajagoogoo in the 1990s. Article was deleted (A7) in August 2009, but resurfaced the same day and survived five years. |
5 years, ½ month |
August 1, 2009 | August 22, 2014 | The Restless Nevers deletion log |
Lucy Gordon Fake filmography credit adding the day after actress's suicide alleging she started her career in the sitcom 2.4 Children. |
4 years, 11 months | May 21, 2009 | April 10, 2014 | [5] |
The Derby Series of The Table A series of horse races in Kentucky and Tennessee |
4 years, 10 months | May 12, 2011 | March 16, 2016 | Spotted by SwisterTwister |
Hinckley Band of Thieves | 4 years, 9½ months |
August 31, 2005 | June 16, 2010 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Hinckley Band of Thieves |
Joseph Warshaw "one of the least Known Highwayman": speedily deleted, then {{hoax}} tagged and prodded when recreated the day it was started, but it took more than four years until it was deleted once more |
4 years, 9½ months |
February 17, 2006 | December 3, 2010 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Joseph Warshaw |
Disney's Wide World of Sports Challenge A hoax page for a non-existent Disney sports challenge. |
4 years, 9½ months |
April 1, 2010 | January 25, 2015 | |
Bandicoda seed Seed of a fictitious tree species (Bandicoda genrea), supposedly found in Zimbabwe and the English town of Barnsley. |
4 years, 9 months |
April 29, 2010 | February 1, 2015 | Bandicoda seed deletion log |
Julius Freed, where it was claimed the founder of Orange Julius designed a pigeon bathing unit | 4 years, 9 months |
June 22, 2005 | March 11, 2010 | Reported by Ken Jennings on his blog.[1]. Dairy Queen, which owns the company, was fooled, basing an ad campaign around the hoax. |
E'tedalion Party Fictional Iranian political party |
4 years, 8½ months |
February 12, 2010 | October 25, 2014 | |
Sam Sackey Fictional 1980s soccer star for Ghana |
4 years, 8 months |
March 20, 2010 | November 24, 2014 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Sam Sackey |
Gottfried Eschenbach Non-existent German "composer, conductor and virtuoso violist" |
4 years, 8 months |
January 10, 2010 | September 10, 2014 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Gottfried Eschenbach |
Blue Blue Sky Nonexistent 1998 film, winner of the imaginary "Andrew Smith award for Best Musical Comedy" and nominee for two "Dutch Acknowledgement movie awards." |
4 years, 7½ months |
August 31, 2010 | April 18, 2015 | Blue Blue Sky deletion log |
Argusto Emfazie | 4 years, 7½ months |
February 25, 2002 | October 5, 2006 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Argusto Emfazie |
V-Jay's Verghjesles Fictitious "micro-processor controlled surround sound amplifier"; listed nonexistent parts and specifications from Texas Instruments and other actual companies. |
4 years, 7 months |
January 24, 2011 | September 1, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/V-Jay's Verghjesles |
Hilfiger High School | 4 years, 6½ months |
July 14, 2008 | February 4, 2013 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Hilfiger High School |
Cranmore chase Nonexistent race involving Victorian-era runners hired by local landowners to deliver titles to land in India. |
4 years, 5½ months |
July 15, 2010 | December 29, 2014 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Cranmore chase Cited as the inspiration for an actual modern 10-kilometer run in Somerset. |
EuroNation 1 London Fabricated European singing competition |
4 years, 5 months | May 16, 2011 | October 22, 2015 | |
Ebenezer Crummett 18th-century American soldier, falsely credited with saving the Marquis de Lafayette and challenging Alexander Hamilton to a duel. |
4 years, 4½ months |
August 24, 2010 | January 22, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Ebenezer Crummett |
Reference to "glucojasinogen" in diabetic neuropathy | 4 years, 4½ months |
October 7, 2007 | February 29, 2012 | added, removed; original edit appears word for word in S.V. Tembhurne and D.M. Sakarkar (June 2010). "Influence of Murraya koenigii on experimental model of diabetes and progression of neuropathic pain". Res Pharm Sci. 5 (1): 41–47. and Talha Jawaid, Ashok K Shakya, Mehnaz Kamal, and Sarfaraz Hussain (June 2008). "Amitriptyline and Sertraline in Diabetic Neuropathy: A Comparative View". International Journal of Health Research 1 (2): 73–78.. |
Fictitious claim that Adrienne Monnier was best known for a book about an American boy named Bill Monnier | 4 years, 4 months |
November 28, 2010 | March 31, 2015 | added, removed |
Section on the fictional non-league football career of minor British soap opera actor Will Mellor | 4 years, 4 months |
January 12, 2007 | May 9, 2011 | added, removed. Claim was repeated on the website for the artists agency represents Mellor. [6] |
The Rock Gang Made-up 1980s Swedish rock band with several fictitious albums, noted for using a vacuum cleaner as a saxophone; deleted via G3. |
4 years, 3 months |
June 2011 | September 5, 2015 | The Rock Gang deletion log |
Fredrick Joseph Logan Fictitious 19th-century graphic designer, credited with the equally fake "Logan's Law" regulating maximum widths of business logos in advertising. |
4 years, 2½ months |
June 8, 2011 | August 30, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Fredrick Joseph Logan |
Manão Fictitious mountain village in Portugal |
4 years, 2½ months |
April 30, 2007 | July 14, 2011 | PROD deleted |
Martin Coleman (American football) The story of a non-existent American football player who played for Clemson, Pitt, and the Oakland Raiders. It was recreated several days after deletion and lasted for nearly another month before being deleted again. |
4 years, 2½ months |
November 5, 2006 | January 23, 2011 | See also Martin I. Coleman |
Jesse Aaron Richardson Reputed author of the spurious Rotten Apple graphic novel series about a New York bounty hunter's journey into "organized crime, drug dealing, corruption, private investigation, cults, serials [sic] killers, unlicensed boxing, treasure hunting, hired assassinations, and more." |
4 years, 1½ months |
October 7, 2010 | November 26, 2014 | Jesse Aaron Richardson deletion log |
The Vanderdark Morgue Fictitious morgue and family created to promote a local Kentucky Halloween attraction |
4 years, 1 month |
July 26, 2011 | August 25, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/The Vanderdark Morgue |
Bryan J. Baldelli Non-existent American baseball player |
4 years | February 26, 2008 | February 28, 2012 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Bryan J. Baldelli. Listed at Bryan (given name) in good faith. Also listed on German Wikipedia under Baldelli until deletion in August 2014. |
Wollen-Blohm Prize Made-up $10,000 annual award for achievements in philanthropy and economics, attributed to an "unidentified Singaporean patron of the arts." |
3 years, 11½ months |
October 14, 2011 | September 30, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Wollen-Blohm Prize |
Imhyre Kértez Fictitious Hungarian actor at the National Theatre in Warsaw, supposedly a victim of the Nazi invasion in World War II. |
3 years, 10½ months |
November 7, 2011 | September 25, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Imhyre Kértez English article created in good faith during 2011 as a partial translation of a Spanish Wikipedia article, the original hoax, which began in May 2004. |
Colin Kennedy Fictitious American Old West criminal who supposedly murdered John Sutter's brother in San Francisco on April 9, 1853 |
3 years, 10 months |
April 8, 2009 | February 7, 2013 | Prod deleted; see [7] |
Altamont Lamina Fictitious British spy in both world wars, supposedly called "The Silent Blade" for his "above-average skills in sneaking, spying, and assassinating." |
3 years, 10 months |
February 18, 2011 | December 17, 2014 | Altamont Lamina deletion log |
Sshiaga-llat Made-up mythological force of chaos, supposedly adored by "ancient different people from the Sumerians to the Asturians" |
3 years, 9½ months |
January 28, 2011 | November 19, 2014 | Sshiaga-llat deletion log |
Phoedelia "The ecclesiastical name for one of the stoppers which accompany the cruets used in [Christian] liturgical rites" that no one but the article creator had ever heard of. |
3 years, 9½ months |
October 31, 2009 | August 12, 2013 | Discovery and discussion. Added to cruet the next day, added to bung in 2011. Was widely believed by people on the Internet, including multiple auctioners. Note that Phoedelia is a real girl's name. |
Jean Moufot Fictitious French philosopher and mathematician. Article first appeared on nl.wikipedia, then translated versions subsequently appeared in French, German and English Wikipedias. Hoax was first discovered by the German Wiki and deleted across the wikis within a week. |
3 years, 9½ months |
September 24, 2004 | July 16, 2008 | discussion on nl.wikipedia, discussion on de.wikipedia, discussion on de.wikipedia, mirror with links to discussion |
Bunaka (G3) Non-existent Indonesian island |
3 years, 9 months |
March 18, 2007 | December 20, 2010 | discussion |
Charles E. Whitmeyer Fictitious North Carolina politician, undertaker, and inventor of the child leash |
3 years, 9 months |
March 13, 2007 | December 16, 2010 | |
Bucharest Film Festival A hoax created to support an article on Yuri Gadyukin. |
3 years, 9 months |
June 16, 2009 | March 12, 2013 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Bucharest Film Festival |
3G Boyz Completely fabricated contents created by manager to support new band. |
3 years, 9 months |
December 27, 2009 | October 16, 2013 | Prod |
Housecoat 3 Nonexistent 1987 American romantic comedy; cited a fabricated review by Leonard Maltin. |
3 years, 9 months |
December 2, 2011 | September 10, 2015 | Spotted and tagged for speedy |
Cancun Broadcasting Company Hoax Mexican broadcaster, with "drama, children, news, sports, game shows, entertainment, high definition and more." |
3 years, 9 months |
October 29, 2011 | July 31, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Cancun Broadcasting Company |
Eric the sheep Nonexistent graphic novel about the adventures of a super-intelligent Welsh sheep |
3 years, 8½ months |
February 19, 2011 | November 7, 2014 | Speedy deletion Deletion log |
Jûtien-Gustave DuRoi and Sallah Ukhmed Fictitious husband-and-wife writers, with a list of works that was expanded over time |
3 years, 8 months (DuRoi) |
June 9, 2006 | February 7, 2010 (DuRoi) | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Jûtien-Gustave DuRoi Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Sallah Ukhmed |
Claim that, due to her fame in Japan, female wrestler Kaoru Matsumoto was known as the "Niall Quinn of Joshi" | 3 years, 7½ months |
October 13, 2008 | May 24, 2012 | added, removed |
Loretta Scott Crew Fictitious inventor of S'mores, where it was also reported. Has been incorrectly included in printed books and numerous websites. |
3 years, 7½ months |
July 1, 2009 | February 13, 2013 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Loretta Scott Crew |
Grâce à feu et aux flammes Nonexistent composition by Claude Debussy, supposedly discovered under floorboards in his house; deleted via G3. |
3 years, 7 months |
September 5, 2011 | April 10, 2015 | Grâce à feu et aux flammes deletion log |
Yuri Gadyukin Fictitious Soviet filmmaker defected to the UK and murdered there in 1960 at the age of 28. Apparently, was created to support a low-budget movie. |
3 years, 7 months |
August 3, 2009 | March 6, 2013 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Yuri Gadyukin; explanation of history and purpose |
Shantal Méndez 4-time Grammy Winner, or so the article said of this hypothetical singer |
3 years, 7 months |
September 27, 2007 | May 3, 2011 | Discussion at Wikipedia talk:Unreferenced_BLP_Rescue |
Saint Elizabeth College Fictitious liberal arts college in Youngstown, Ohio, supposedly with 3,500 students, 30 programs, 116 years of history, yet zero record of its existence. |
3 years, 6 months |
August 3, 2011 | February 9, 2015 | G3 deletion (Deletion log) |
Former American Gladiator Jonathan Byrne Series of edits regarding an eccentric and non-existent American Gladiator |
3 years, 5½ months |
June 19, 2006 | December 6, 2009 | Thirty pages unraveled over a two day period by Jeandré du Toit. First edit Others: [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25] [26] [27] [28] [29] [30] [31] [32] [33] [34] [35] [36] Other edits had been previously removed on an individual basis. Believed by people online, including some people who claimed to remember him. |
Brahmanical See | 3 years, 5½ months |
August 4, 2004 | January 21, 2008 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Brahmanical See, Mirror and discussion at WR |
Upton H. Pennyworth (Prod) (G3 speedy deletion) Fictitious British explorer |
3 years, 5½ months |
September 7, 2007 | February 18, 2011 | discussion |
Ceasar McKenzie Fictitious point guard for the NBA's New Orleans Hornets, claimed to be the 2005 Rookie of the Year instead of Emeka Okafor |
3 years, 5 months |
June 22, 2011 | November 26, 2014 | Ceasar McKenzie deletion log |
Sarah River List of rivers of New Zealand was vandalized changing "Saxon" to "Sarah", and was later turned into an article by bot |
3 years, 4 months |
May 18, 2006 | September 13, 2009 | original vandalism, Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Sarah River, article now at Saxon River |
Pilot Season, a non-existent film directed by Kevin Smith | 3 years, 3½ months |
April 14, 2011 | August 28, 2014 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Pilot Season (film) |
Monarch (butterfly) as Canada's national insect | 3 years, 3½ months |
December 9, 2004 | March 26, 2008 | added, removed |
Trundu An ancient tribe belonging to the Trund civilisation |
3 years, 3½ months |
May 22, 2006 | September 7, 2009 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Trundu |
Por muerte del fantasma de Montero Families Hoax online novela |
3 years, 3½ months |
May 6, 2012 | August 26, 2015 | Deletion log |
Sei Wee Lim Supposedly an Olympic swimmer from Brunei |
3 years, 3 months |
September 15, 2006 | December 16, 2009 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Sei Wee Lim |
Morton Schwartz Supposedly a B-movie actor |
3 years, 3 months |
May 4, 2007 | July 27, 2010 | Discussion at Unreferenced BLP Rescue |
Clem and Lachlan's Adventures Imaginary Australian ABC teen drama from 2006 to 2012 |
3 years, 2 months |
May 27, 2012 | August 1, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Clem and Lachlan's Adventures |
Fredric Croix and Quickslide Rick Two supposed 1920s Michigan Blues Musicians |
3 years, 2 months |
February 9, 2008 | April 15, 2011 | WP:Articles for deletion/Fredric Croix and Quickslide Rick |
Kevin Musker Name-change plagiarism of "Charles Ferguson Smith", suspected for 3 years but retained |
3 years, 1½ months |
February 24, 2006 | April 13, 2009 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Kevin Musker, Revision of Charles Ferguson Smith article was based on |
19th-century invention of the hair iron attributed to fictitious persons, "Erica Feldman" (changed from Madam C. J. Walker) and another name (apparently a classmate) on English and Simple English Wikipedia. Both names are now widely credited on the Internet (as well as in one book) with the invention of the hair straightener [37][38][39][40][41] | 3 years, 1 month |
August 14, 2006 | September 15, 2009 | Erica Feldman, I. G., [42], [43], discussion at Wikipedia Review |
Rosie the Riveter Original Rosie was Shirley Karp: hoax Original Rosie was Shirley Karp Dick: vandalism |
3 years, ½ month |
January 16, 2009 | January 24, 2012 | Historian Max Hastings published in the first edition of his November 2011 book Inferno: The World at War, 1939–1945 (called All Hell Let Loose in the UK): "Another much-publicised 'Rosie' was Shirley Karp Dick, who was paid $6 to model for photos, of which the most famous showed her treading on Hitler's Mein Kampf."[44] A second edition was published October 2012 after the hoax was revealed. |
James Geiss Fictitious English whaler |
3 years | June 29, 2006 | June 30, 2009 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/James Geiss |
Jack Stacey Supposed character ("Chief Resident") during eighth season of ER. |
2 years, 11 months |
October 3, 2012 | September 3, 2015 | Jack Stacey deletion log |
Slow Blind Driveway fictitious blues musician |
2 years, 9½ months |
November 16, 2006 | August 26, 2009 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Slow Blind Driveway |
Mittapalli Nonexistent Indian village, based on old revision of Bandarlapalle |
2 years, 9 months |
July 23, 2010 | April 27, 2013 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Mittapalli |
Ocular citrosis A fictional type of eye infection resulting from periodic exposure to acidic substances. Created on 1st April and referred to in other disease articles a few weeks later. |
2 years, 9 months |
April 1, 2010 | January 7, 2013 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Ocular citrosis |
Vitus Sebastian Barbaro fictitious member of a real Venetian family repeatedly added to real articles by numerous sockpuppets: Wikipedia:Requests for checkuser/Case/Societyfinalclubs, Wikipedia:Sockpuppet investigations/Mctrain/Archive |
2 years, 9 months |
May 29, 2007 | February 25, 2010 | User:Barneca/watch/societyfinalclubs |
Richard Hopkins (chess player) and Ruy Lopez, Hopkins Gambit Fictitious chess player and the opening chess moves allegedly named after him. |
2 years, 8½ months |
December 28, 2010 | September 22, 2013 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Richard Hopkins (chess player) Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Ruy Lopez, Hopkins Gambit |
Lewis William Walt Fictitious marriage and child added to bio. |
2 years, 8½ months |
April 8, 2013 | January 16, 2016 | |
Ruy Lopez, Marshall Attack, Rombaua Trap Fictitious chess trap |
2 years, 8 months |
January 7, 2011 | September 9, 2013 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Ruy Lopez, Marshall Attack, Rombaua Trap |
Mirsk Famous Residents section alleging this as city where Nicholas Copernicus contracted genital warts from a Mirsk prostitute, as allegedly proved by DNA evidence. Vandalism was removed by Jimmy Wales. |
2 years, 8 months |
January 15, 2012 | September 14, 2014 | User_talk:Meishern#Do_you_have_any_evidence_for_this.3F, Added: [45], Removed: [46] |
The Tarsus Club and Murray Chance Articles on a fictitious club and individual created as guerrilla marketing for the film The Conspiracy |
2 years, 7½ months |
December 17, 2010 | August 10, 2013 | Wikipedia:Administrators' noticeboard/IncidentArchive807#Elaborate hoax articles |
Eric Clapton's various girlfriends | 2 years, 7 months |
May 9, 2011 | December 19, 2013 | A paragraph was inserted listing 15 women that Clapton supposedly dated. One was Alicia Witt who eventually saw the list and complained on Facebook that it was not true about her. The whole paragraph was supported by a hoax reference initially listing the Boston Beacon which was soon changed to the Boston Globe, even though no such article exists. |
Rudolph's Greatest Adventures Fictitious Rankin/Bass Productions special |
2 years, 7 months |
December 7, 2012 | July 12, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Rudolph's Greatest Adventures |
Paul Berowne and McIver-Berowne baronets | 2 years, 7 months |
December 3, 2012 | July 7, 2015 | Discussion at Reference Desk/Humanities |
Charles Krum & Krum Corporate Alleged businessman and his London-based company |
2 years, 6½ months |
February 28, 2013 | September 16, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Krum Corporate (nomination for both articles and tagged for speedy deletion G3) |
The "Cohen-Cruse Ruse": an elaborate set of hoax articles and edits over many articles including the fictitious people Baron Cruse-Cohen, Jean Alexandre Cohen, Jonathan Cohen, Sir David Cohen, and Stephen B. Jacobsohn, and several fictitious synagogues including Beth Sadeh Synagogue and Sephardic Temple Adat David. A small project was formed to hunt down all the various edits involved. | 2 years, 5½ months |
May 1, 2009 | October 15, 2011 | User:Vivisel/cohen cruse ruse, Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Baron Cruse-Cohen, Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Stephen B. Jacobsohn, additions to Salisbury, North Carolina, etc. |
Balboa Creole French Fictitious highly endangered French-based creole language, supposedly spoken exclusively by about 20 people on Balboa Island in Newport Beach, an extremely wealthy suburban town in Orange County, California. |
2 years, 5 months |
April 3, 2010 | September 10, 2012 | Blogpost referencing Balboa Creole French as one of "Seven Languages That Are About To Die" |
Trembulo Fictitious musical instrument |
2 years, 5 months |
July 26, 2010 | December 27, 2012 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Trembulo |
Fictitious "further reading" on bullshit | 2 years, 4½ months |
November 23, 2007 | April 8, 2010 | added, deleted |
Långrocken Fictitious Swedish serial rapist in 1893, allegedly searched by undercover policemen in women's clothes |
2 years, 4½ months |
July 24, 2005 | December 8, 2007 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Långrocken |
Peace breaker's muzzle Fictitious torture device |
2 years, 4½ months |
August 2, 2004 | December 10, 2006 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Peace breaker's muzzle, added to Torture article, removed |
Functional temporalism Postmodern Anthropological Theory |
2 years, 4 months |
August 8, 2007 | December 7, 2009 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Functional temporalism |
Sean MacLeod Fictional comedian |
2 years, 4 months |
September 9, 2006 | January 8, 2009 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Sean MacLeod |
Fictitious Illyrian gods | 2 years, 3½ months |
October 27, 2005 | February 18, 2008 | Old revision of Paleo-Balkanic mythology showing fictitious gods, discussion |
Wander Donkey Fictitious adventure game for the Nintendo DS |
2 years, 3½ months |
May 15, 2007 | September 5, 2009 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Wander Donkey, archived forum confession from September 3, 2009 |
Characterisation of Shane (name) signifying a violent individual | 2 years, 3½ months |
December 21, 2007 | April 12, 2010 | added, deleted, believed by [47] and [48] |
Genck Azonho Fictitious Argentinean writer and social reformer of the 1970s, noted for his "extreme moralistic and ascetic views." |
2 years, 3 months |
April 12, 2013 | July 18, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Genck Azonho |
Parfact A secret language of Worcestershire teenagers |
2 years, 3 months |
November 8, 2006 | February 1, 2009 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Parfact |
Monvilla non-existent Shropshire village |
2 years, 2½ months |
January 3, 2006 | March 21, 2008 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Monvilla |
Nueces de la Perez Fictitious 18th-century Spanish mission near the site of present-day Corpus Christi, Texas |
2 years, 2 months |
November 7, 2012 | January 14, 2015 | Nueces de la Perez deletion log |
Matthew Lyons Texas frontiersman and CSA cavalry soldier |
2 years, 2 months |
February 18, 2008 | April 19, 2010 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Matthew Lyons |
Fadl Attraction Fictitious Canadian male porn star |
2 years, 2 months |
November 4, 2007 | January 10, 2010 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Fadl Attraction |
Cindy and the Halo Boy Nonexistent direct-to-DVD movie, supposedly starring Haylie Duff and Frankie Muniz and added to Duff's page. |
2 years, 1½ months |
March 15, 2007 | May 8, 2009 | Added, removed; admitted in a 2015 Gawker.com post. |
Curtis James Real high-school runner with spectacular fictitious professional career |
2 years, 1½ months |
October 4, 2008 | November 18, 2010 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Curtis James |
The Siccness Network Fictional animated television show that ran on BET |
2 years, 1 month |
September 4, 2013 | October 13, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/The Siccness Network |
Shai Bernstein Fictitious Jewish-Russian thinker - Bernstein was actually a student in Houston |
2 years, ½ month |
Sep 6, 2007 | Sep 16, 2009 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Shai Bernstein, had a Hebrew translation |
Just When I Needed You Most Cover version by "Daniel Selby" |
2 years, ½ month |
January 22, 2011 | January 31, 2013 | added, removed Reference to Selby also added on songwriter Randy VanWarmer's page (removed) |
PC Card Claimed to be invented by "Jacob D. Holm" in 1986. In reality, the PCMCIA organization was formed in 1989-09, based on the initiative of Poqet Computer Corporation's Ian Cullimore with support from Fujitsu and Intel since 1989-07. |
2 years, ½ month |
August 18, 2011 | August 30, 2013 | added, removed |
Morris Guggenheim Fictitious son of Solomon R. Guggenheim, who supposedly married a member of the British royal family and became mayor of Charleston, South Carolina. |
2 years | August 18, 2013 | August 21, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Morris Guggenheim |
Moroccans with Disabilities Act of 1992 "Copied from a past revision of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 article". |
2 years | September 10, 2009 | September 13, 2011 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Moroccans with Disabilities Act of 1992 |
Taylor Mowry Fictitious actor; based closely on an old revision of Tristan Wilds |
1 year, 11 months |
December 15, 2009 | November 15, 2011 | |
Canyon View Junior High School Fictitious school in Edmonton, Alberta |
1 year, 11 months |
February 15, 2011 | January 15, 2013 | Investigation followed by an admission on Talk:Canyon View Junior High School |
Wüstenrot-Gruppe Allegedly acquired by the fictitious Golden Byakugam Corporation |
1 year, 10½ months |
February 12, 2011 | December 21, 2012 | Nonsense related to Naruto fandom in-joke. |
Five Star Generals Fictitious rock band from Buffalo, New York |
1 year, 10 months |
June 1, 2013 | April 12, 2015 | Five Star Generals deletion log |
Haď Čarém Nonexistent 10th-century Hungarian Muslim merchant and economist, supposedly cited as an "incipient anti-colonialist and anti-slavery advocate" in later Communist theory. |
1 year, 10 months |
March 27, 2013 | January 29, 2015 | Haď Čarém deletion log Justification at the creator's talk page |
Let Me Be There and If You Love Me (Let Me Know) For nearly two years, both articles credited a "Navin Harris" as the backing vocalist instead of Mike Sammes. |
1 year, 9½ months |
June 17, 2010 | April 2, 2012 (both articles) | Appears in this article and this publication of Olivia Newton-John related Wikipedia articles Content was repeatedly re-added by an IP-hopper after first removal in April 2012, even after the addition of a source verifying the real vocalist's name, leading to indefinite semi-protection of both articles; see also Wikipedia:Administrators' noticeboard/IncidentArchive747#Repeated vandalism for a likely source of the name. |
Juan Gadiel Rosado Colón Name-change plagiarism of Don Francisco |
1 year, 9 months |
April 22, 2013 | January 27, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Juan Gadiel Rosado Colón |
Lustfaust hoax The real band Lustfaust, which the article is now about, used this fake band as a marketing tactic |
1 year, 9 months |
October 15, 2005 | July 14, 2007 | Old revision of article about fake band, NYT article describing fake article |
Involvement of Brian Reddyb in the band Rednex |
1 year, 8½ months |
October 17, 2005 | July 3, 2007 | added, removed; User:Brian Reddyb vocally defended his hoax edits until he was banned, and Rednex personally denounced his story. Brian made a similar hoax edit to Saddam Hussein. |
Marathonius Granthius (G3) Fake Roman soldier |
1 year, 8½ months |
August 21, 2006 | May 2, 2008 | Discovered when blanked by an IP who warned that it was a hoax |
European Tennis Club of Culture (PROD) | 1 year, 8 months |
November 15, 2005 | July 15, 2007 | Noticed in April 2007 on talk page |
Baldock Beer Disaster Was listed on Did You Know? |
1 year, 8 months |
November 15, 2005 | July 15, 2007 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Baldock Beer Disaster Did You Know entry Discussion Was temporarily made into an article about the hoax before being deleted regardless. |
Æblerød (CSD) Fictional Danish municipality |
1 year, 8 months |
January 12, 2004 | September 8, 2005 | Removal from municipalities list, discussion, featured in Danish newspaper Politiken (December 5th, 2006) |
Battle of Stuart's Pond | 1 year, 7½ months |
May 29, 2008 | January 18, 2010 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Battle of Stuart's Pond |
Traffic cones called "kafele boothe cones" | 1 year, 7½ months |
October 4, 2010 | May 24, 2012 | [49] [50] |
Maria Portaro (G3) fictitious marine biologist with "500 published papers" |
1 year, 7 months |
March 3, 2008 | October 3, 2009 | |
Zobin Baygan Fictional musician |
1 year, 7 months |
April 15, 2007 | November 13, 2008 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Zobin Baygan |
Oyster Injustice Fictitious financial disaster affecting Chesapeake Bay fishermen |
1 year, 7 months |
July 6, 2007 | February 4, 2009 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Oyster Injustice |
Earl of Aldbury (G3) non-existent 17th-century peer |
1 year, 6½ months |
May 13, 2009 | December 3, 2010 | |
Herzthiolate heptahydrolysic acid Hoax genetic molecule with an invalid chemical formula (NaO 2H90− 8Mg 4S 2Ci 2 Al 2Si 2He 4Fe 2CaN 2C), supposedly found in the imaginary "Stenaphyllzone (Plasma life-form)" and sebum. |
1 year, 6½ months |
February 27, 2014 | September 14, 2015 | Deletion log |
"Conrad Dean" as backing vocalist on Whatcha Gonna Do with a Cowboy | 1 year, 6 months |
March 29, 2012 | September 25, 2013 | |
Quaff distillery Made-up name for the still genuinely constructed by mutineers from HMS Bounty on Pitcairn Island in the 1790s. Drink was supposedly also called "quaff" and supposedly gave its name to a worldwide drinking club enduring to this day. |
1 year, 6 months |
December 30, 2013 | June 15, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Quaff distillery. Found its way into Pitcairn Education Work Pack produced to accompany the 2014 play Pitcairn |
Ciarán Dunphy Fabricated 19th century Irish author, "a member of Sinn Féin from the Irish War of Independence and a "significant public political figure, as well as one of the chief chroniclers of Irish nationalism in literature". |
1 year, 6 months |
January 26, 2014 | October 22, 2015 | |
Dexter, New York and Dexter, Maine On two distinct occasions, it was falsely claimed the town was named after "Dexter Borup". The IP that made the first edit also added the name uncapitalized to Dexter,Maine |
11 months | February 23, 2007 | January 17, 2008 | first time: added, removed; second time: added, removed. Was picked up by other resources on the town.[dead link] |
1 year, 6 months |
February 1, 2009 | July 30, 2010 | ||
11 months | February 27, 2007 | February 23, 2008 | ||
Talinsfadasporia (G3) fictitious Indian town, mostly cut and pasted from Dibrugarh |
1 year, 5½ months |
May 31, 2009 | November 20, 2010 | |
Fake Tristan material Sir Tristan as an "overweight knight" |
1 year, 5½ months |
September 2, 2004 | February 20, 2006 | Added, removed |
Arthur Foot being Michael Foot′s brother. | 1 year, 5 months |
November 14, 2013 | April 21, 2015 | Added, removed/names of actual brothers and a nephew added |
Mrs Brown: The Musicals Fake musical comedy series based on Mrs. Brown's Boys, supposedly featuring Broadway songs and broadcast on RTÉ One and BBC One; deleted via A11. |
1 year, 4½ months |
November 23, 2013 | April 18, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Mrs Brown: The Musicals |
Anaxiphales presocratic philosopher |
1 year, 4½ months |
February 12, 2005 | June 28, 2006 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Anaxiphales |
Elizabethan Lizard Fictitious punk rock band from Minnesota; G3 deletion |
1 year, 4 months |
November 8, 2013 | March 13, 2015 | Elizabethan Lizard deletion log |
Ingrid Vakaslavik | 1 year, 3½ months |
February 15, 2009 | May 31, 2010 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Ingrid Vakaslavik |
Crowborough Caves With "Dr. SP Leo Logist" |
1 year, 3 months |
April 8, 2007 | July 27, 2008 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Crowborough Caves. Pun on speleologist. Their hoax website now links back to this page. First detected by an anon who called it "a well known 'fun' story / hoax". |
Addition of three trees to Man-eating tree, one of which (Duñak) is completely fabricated Inspired several pieces of artwork and literature, including a novel.[dead link] |
1 year, 3 months |
October 26, 2008 | February 2, 2010 | added, removed. Believed by The Epoch Times (May 5, 2009) |
Emerson LaSalle Fictitious author |
1 year, 3 months |
November 27, 2007 | February 27, 2009 | After the deletion discussion had started, the original author rewrote the article to describe the subject as fictional (as well as to criticize the deletion), but it was still deleted. |
Freedom Channing Fictitious "conductor" of the Underground Railroad |
1 year, 3 months |
July 11, 2005 | October 8, 2006 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Freedom Channing |
Amorica (legend) Given its own article for 8 months rather than deletion |
1 year, 2½ months |
November 9, 2004 See original article |
January 22, 2006 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Amorica (legend) |
8 months | May 24, 2005 | |||
Plathubis the grey fox Made-up hunting myth from Latvia about an amphibious, rain-bringing fox, designed "to warn impetuous young men not to kill animals for fun"; deleted via G3. |
1 year, 2 months |
February 8, 2014 | April 20, 2015 | Plathubis the grey fox deletion log |
Vengeance On Elm Street Nonexistent "upcoming" sequel to the Nightmare on Elm Street series; deleted via G3. |
1 year, 2 months |
January 21, 2014 | March 28, 2015 | Vengeance On Elm Street deletion log |
Francis Bunbury (PROD) Non-existent architect; names in article taken from The Importance of Being Earnest. |
1 year, 2 months |
October 24, 2009 | December 26, 2010 | First noted by an anon October 2010 |
Joshua G. Cantor-Stone (G4) Fictitious Jewish WWII naval aviator and hero |
1 year, 1½ months |
February 22, 2009 | April 11, 2010 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Joshua G. Cantor-Stone |
Eric Radloff Fictitious singer-songwriter |
1 year, 1½ months |
July 5, 2004 | August 23, 2005 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Eric Radloff |
Fictitious sons of Aaron Nada and Abidjan |
1 year, 1½ months |
March 16, 2008 | April 26, 2009 | Added |
Little Adventures of Bruno Supposed animated television series by Mitchell Hurwitz that would be a followup of sorts to Sit Down, Shut Up |
1 years 1 months |
October 17, 2013 | November 22, 2014 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Little Adventures of Bruno |
Magnesium lasering Article about a nonsense science practice. | 1 year, 1 month |
May 14, 2009 | June 13, 2010 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Magnesium lasering |
Earl of Iford Partial name-change plagiarism of Earl of Shaftesbury |
1 year, 1 month |
April 13, 2008 | May 11, 2009 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Earl of Iford |
Federlandese (coin) "Had this "coin" been real, it would have pre-dated the oldest known Scandinavian coins by perhaps ~800 years, so we would have heard of it elsewhere. Also, people in Scandinavia didn't have a monetary economy 2100 years ago." |
1 year, ½ month |
December 2, 2009 | December 22, 2010 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Federlandese (coin) |
Ladedaism Invented social/artistic movement |
1 year, ½ month |
July 7, 2005 | July 19, 2006 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Ladedaism |
Nam Nguyễn Thành Fictitious international soccer player for Vietnam, supposedly recommended by Barry Hayles |
1 year | February 19, 2014 | February 25, 2015 | Nam Nguyễn Thành deletion log |
Vanda Varvara Fictitious painter |
1 year | January 26, 2012 | January 29, 2013 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Vanda Varvara |
Gérard Louis-Dreyfus Fictitious children named "Rover and Bethlehem".[citation needed] |
1 year | March 18, 2009 | March 24, 2010 | |
Odin's Globe Fictitious Norse mythological artifact of diverse powers ("protection, luck, minor telepathy, slow or speed up time, willpower, support, empathy, understanding, wits, health"); falsely sourced to a nonexistent poem, "Loki's Lunar Lover." |
1 year | April 6, 2014 | April 12, 2015 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Odin's Globe |
The Bierrum Effect Fictitious biological effect occurring in isolated environments |
1 year | September 3, 2008 | September 7, 2009 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/The Bierrum Effect |
James and the Pontoons Fake rock band |
1 year | July 20, 2007 | July 21, 2008 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/James and the Pontoons |
Hevstäf Fictitious Czech village |
1 year | October 12, 2006 | October 15, 2007 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Hevstäf |
Hoaxes extant for at least one month
This section lists hoaxes covered for at least one month but less than one year. See Wikipedia:List of hoaxes on Wikipedia/Less than one year for the full list. This section lists only hoaxes covered in reliable, independent sources.
Hoax | Length | Start Date | End Date | Links |
---|---|---|---|---|
John Seigenthaler Sr. Real journalist who had a hoax article in 2005 claiming he was a suspect in the assassination of John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy. |
4½ months | May 26, 2005 | October 7, 2005 | The subject of Wikipedia biography controversy. Widely reported in the press and led to the introduction of the Wikipedia:Biographies of living persons policy. |
Hoaxes extant for less than one month
- Note: This section should list only hoaxes covered in independent third-party sources. Short-lived hoaxes are innumerable and so we do not normally track them — they can be found by searching deletion logs for "hoax".
Hoax | Length | Start Date | End Date | Links |
---|---|---|---|---|
Edward Owens hoax Article concerning late 1800's Chesapeake Bay oyster fisherman who turned to piracy created as a part of an internet hoax performed by students enrolled in a George Mason University class entitled "Lying about History". |
30 days | November 18, 2008 | December 18, 2008 | After several mainstream news sources reported on the internet meme, students came forward to admit the deception.[2][3][4] Survived speedy deletion, proposed deletion and two AFDs (1, 2) as a well documented hoax, before being incorporated as a part of an article on George Mason University hoaxes. |
Alan Mcilwraith A "Walter Mitty" character who faked a bio of his supposed military record on Wikipedia. It initially lasted three weeks before being deleted at AfD. It was recreated three times but deleted within a day each time, but then the story hit the headlines in April 2006 and the article was recreated to be about him as a hoaxer |
21 days | October 5, 2005 | October 26, 2005 | The hoax version |
Upper Peninsula War Account of a fictional conflict in 1843 between the State of Michigan and Canada over a disputed territorial line in the Upper Peninsula and subsequent secession attempt by the governor of Michigan. |
13 days | May 2, 2007 | May 15, 2007 | Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Upper Peninsula War |
Ronnie Hazlehurst Erroneous information (alleging that he had co-written a pop hit for band S Club 7) inserted into this article led to several news outlets repeating it in his obituary following his death, which in turn led to verifiable citations. The incident was widely reported in the UK meta-media, in particular by Private Eye & Have I Got News for You (the latter featuring the editor of the former as a regular panellist. |
11 days | September 20, 2007 | October 1, 2007 | The incorrect information talk page discussing the issue |
John F. Street Vandalism from IP editor inserting false information about how the Philadelphia mayor had formerly worked as Bozo the Clown. |
5 days | January 14, 2007 | January 19, 2007 | The incorrect information. Other IPs restore the vandalism [53][54] but it is quickly reverted. Talk page discussing the issue. Article about the hoax in the Philadelphia Inquirer(dead link). A couple of months later, an IP editor added information about the hoax to the biography.[55] Over the next few years this material was variously kept as reliably sourced, or deleted as trivial. |
Falsified quotes by Maurice Jarre Went viral in mainstream media after his death |
24 hours | March 30, 2009 | March 31, 2009 | added Discussion at Irish Times |
Helen Anne Petrie, Strutt Family Trust South African painter whose falsified biography was seeded on the internet in an apparent attempt to increase the value of artwork. Related names included Sebastian L.S Schwagele, Fan Moniz and PR by a Marlene Duval, User:Marlene Duval |
37 minutes | June 19, 2007 | June 19, 2007 | Afd discussion, Afd discussion, SSI report, Commons Village Pump London Times article(registration required) South African Art Times article |
8 days | May 1, 2009 | May 9, 2009 | ||
2 days | October 29, 2009 | October 31, 2009 | ||
Roger Vinson Addition that the individual was an amateur taxidermist who mounted bear heads above the door of his courtroom. The hoax information became known when Rush Limbaugh misused it on his radio program. |
1 day | September 13, 2010 | September 14, 2010 | Huffington Post New York Times Wall Street Journal Pensacola News Journal |
MESSENGER (NASA probe) Destination of interplanetary probe changed from Mercury (planet) to Canada. |
5 minutes | January 17, 2008 | January 17, 2008 | Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Plunges into Canada, ISBN 9781607101000 page 272, inexplicably devotes two thirds of a printed page to this short-lived bit of vandalism, explaining in detail how MESSENGER was the first mission to visit Canada in over 30 years, studying its environment and characteristics from orbit. |
See also
- User:JohnCD/Hoaxes#Deleted at AfD, a list of confirmed hoaxes that are not included on this page
- List of hoaxes, articles which factually describe encyclopedically notable hoaxes
- Wikipedia:List of citogenesis incidents
- List of Wikipedia controversies
- Reliability of Wikipedia
- Category:Wikipedia suspected hoax articles
- Category:AfC submissions declined as jokes
- fr:Wikipédia:Pastiches, a similar concept on French Wikipedia
- Wikipedia:Society for the Preservation of the Quazer Beast
- Fictitious entry
Notes
- ^ Ken Jennings (May 28, 2010). "Anatomy of a Wiki-hoax". Ken Jennings Blog. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
- ^ Howard, Jennifer (18 December 2008). "Teaching by Lying: Professor Unveils 'Last Pirate' Hoax". The Chronicle of Higher Education.(subscription required)
- ^ Matheson, Whitney. Pop Candy blog, USAToday.com, December 4, 2008
- ^ "The Last American Pirate", December 4, 2008
Further reading
- "Revenge, Ego and the Corruption of Wikipedia", an article that describes several hoaxes which are not listed on this page
- "After a half-decade, massive Wikipedia hoax finally exposed" at dailydot.com