USA TODAY: Fact check: Identical injured dog posts are a viral scam
UC social media expert explains how to verify posts
Wounded and lost animals are the perfect click bait on social media, and a recent viral video about an injured dog is a prime example.
The post which depicts a large dog, alledgedly hit by a car, is one of many ways that scammers tug at viewers heartstrings, explains an article in USA TODAY. Identical posts have been popping up in Facebook groups for locations all over the world. They have the same photo and the same text. Besides some small changes, the only notable difference is the name of the town in which the user claims the accident happened.
This is a technique used by scammers to identify people who may be vulnerable to other scam methods, said Jeffrey Blevins, a professor at the University of Cincinnati who specializes in misinformation.
Read the USA TODAY article to identify ways to avoid click bait and ways to verify information.
Professor Blevins is the co-author of “Social Media, Social Justice and the Political Economy of Online Networks.” He holds affiliate faculty positions at UC in the Department of Communications and the School of Public and International Affairs. His scholarship is grounded in U.S. telecommunication law and policy and engages critical political economy theory.
Featuerd image of Jeffrey Blevins at top UC Marketing + Brand.
Impact Lives Here
The University of Cincinnati is leading public urban universities into a new era of innovation and impact. Our faculty, staff and students are saving lives, changing outcomes and bending the future in our city's direction. Next Lives Here.
Related Stories
Sugar overload killing hearts
November 10, 2025
Two in five people will be told they have diabetes during their lifetime. And people who have diabetes are twice as likely to develop heart disease. One of the deadliest dangers? Diabetic cardiomyopathy. But groundbreaking University of Cincinnati research hopes to stop and even reverse the damage before it’s too late.
Is going nuclear the solution to Ohio’s energy costs?
November 10, 2025
The Ohio Capital Journal recently reported that as energy prices continue to climb, economists are weighing the benefits of going nuclear to curb costs. The publication dove into a Scioto Analysis survey of 18 economists to weigh the pros and cons of nuclear energy. One economist featured was Iryna Topolyan, PhD, professor of economics at the Carl H. Lindner College of Business.
App turns smartwatch into detector of structural heart disease
November 10, 2025
An app that uses an AI model to read a single-lead ECG from a smartwatch can detect structural heart disease, researchers reported at the 2025 Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association. Although the technology requires further validation, researchers said it could help improve the identification of patients with heart failure, valvular conditions and left ventricular hypertrophy before they become symptomatic, which could improve the prognosis for people with these conditions.