Dwayne Johnson Dead: Viral Death Hoax May Be Harmful To Computers

Dwayne Johnson is not dead, but a rumor of the actor’s demise might just kill your computer if you try to find out more.

This week a story that Johnson was killed while filming Fast & Furious 7 spread around social media. A popular Facebook post teased details of Johnson’s supposed death, then told readers to click on a link for more information.

But clicking on the link could actually be harmful, as scammers collect information about who clicked on the link and share it with marketers, or even insert malware into computers of readers.

Those familiar with the ever-present celebrity death rumors may have been familiar with the details of how Dwayne Johnson supposedly died. The report claims that he fell from a cliff, the same fate that allegedly befell actor Will Smith in a previous hoax.

The report claimed:

“Preliminary reports from New Zealand Police officials indicate that the actor fell more than 60 feet to his death on the Kauri Cliffs while on-set.

“At about 11 a.m. ET on Saturday (April 05, 2014), our beloved actor Dwayne Johnson passed away. Dwayne Johnson was born on May 2, 1972 in Hayward. He will be missed but not forgotten. Please show your sympathy and condolences by commenting on and liking this page.”

Other reports have surfaced using a new, updated date so as not to tip off readers that it is a hoax.

But the Dwayne Johnson death hoax could have been debunked with just a bit of research. The man formerly known as The Rock regularly posts workout pictures and updates on social media, and in the past few weeks has been doing press for the upcoming movie Hercules.

“The tone is a nice, even balance.” a very living Dwayne Johnson told reporters about his new movie. “I think of Gladiator and 300. There’s also personality in the movie. There’s fun. There’s some wink in the movie in a way that makes the audience feel good.”

So in the future, if you see a link that claims Dwayne Johnson is dead, just keep scrolling past it.