A fake Twitter account claiming to belong to a Russian minister upset many on social media after it claimed that former NSA contractor Edward Snowden was found dead.
A hoax account claiming to be the official Twitter handle of Vladimir Kolokoltsev, Interior Minister of Russian Federation rake up a storm on social media. It is now confirmed that Snowden is live, while the Twitter account is fake.
" Former NSA contractor Edward J. Snowden was found diedd few minutes ago in his home. No details," he fake account (@RussiaIntMinist)pretending to be Vladimir Kolokoltsev, Interior Minister of Russian Federation said.
It is now been established the Edward Snowden death claim was an elaborate hoax by a Twitter account that previously claimed to belong to Raul Castro; at one point it pretended to be Ashton Carter and before that has impersonated as Loretta Lynch, US Attorney among a host of others.
A Business Insider report noted that such fake accounts accumulate followers over time, and switch names and handles "making it look like the account has a legacy and history of being real."
Former NSA contractor Edward J. Snowden was found died few minutes ago in his home. No details.
— Vladimir Kolokoltsev (@RussiaIntMinist) May 6, 2015
Interior Minister Kolokoltsev and Anatoly Koucherena to meet the press at 5pm today on Snowden's death.
— Vladimir Kolokoltsev (@RussiaIntMinist) May 6, 2015
This is, however, not the first time that a fake account on Twitter claimed that Snowden was dead. Back in 2013 a fake Twitter account claiming to belong to The Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald, had tweeted that Snowden was 'confirmed dead.'
The fake account @ggreenwild then even tweeted Snowden was killed in a drone strike in Hong Kong.
Twitter Reactions
Just Another Guy @JaiAryawart
Devil America killed him.RT @RussiaIntMinist Former NSA contractor Edward J. Snowden was found died few minutes ago in his home. No details.
Manas.C.P @manascp
Is the news about Edward Snowden True???
Lucie @Lucie24584443
RT ShivAroor: Snowden just called. He's fine.
David Sheppard @OilSheppard
So Snowden's still alive then. Carry on.
Yogesh L @yogi_Londhe
Edward Snowden Is Not Dead, Despite Twitter Rumors
Mohammad Affan @AffanAAP
RT ankitlal: Fingers crossed abt #Snowden news. When you take up someone as mighty as the US govt they come after you like anything!
A.T.O.M @atomsoffice
RT cheguwera: That Bloody twitter who says #Snowden is died is just created yesterday .
maybe a fake account
#Snowden is born to win
Sharath Rao @sharathinindia
Edward Snowden Is Not Dead
Eoghan mac Suibhne @buileshuibhne
"Russian interior min" Twitter account referring to #Snowden death was previously Raul Castro, Loretta Lynch & others
