A look at what didn’t happen this week

Associated Press

A roundup of some of the most popular, but completely untrue, headlines of the week. None of these stories are legit, even though they were shared widely on social media. The Associated Press checked these out; here are the real facts:

Not real: A Drastic INCREASE Of Monthly Payments – Social Security Recipients Delighted

The facts: Stories posted by several conservative-leaning sites credit President Donald Trump with boosting Social Security payments earlier this year. A cost-of-living adjustment for Social Security payouts with a 0.3-percent increase did go into effect in January, but it was announced in October, weeks before Trump was elected.

Not real: Italian Investigators Confirmed: Obama Used Fake Birth Certificate

The facts: A story based on former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio’s conclusion that former President Barack Obama’s Hawaiian birth certificate is a forgery has been shared by several conservative-leaning websites. The account doesn’t elaborate on the supposed Italian investigation. Hawaii officials have repeatedly confirmed Obama’s citizenship. In 2012, they said Arpaio’s allegations are “untrue, misinformed, and misconstrue Hawaii law.”

Not real: A Man Just Caught A Giant Great White On the Great Lakes!

The facts: This story about a fisherman catching a massive great white shark in Lake Michigan has been floating around in online circles for more than a year.

It claims the U.S. Coast Guard commented that the fish could explain the disappearance of hundreds of people. Coast Guard spokesman Chris Yaw tells the AP the agency never said such a thing, and the story is a work of fiction.