Just a few nights ago, three winning tickets were sold for the record $1.6 billion Powerball jackpot that was the largest in history. That jackpot has changed the lives of a number of people and maybe they will end up be willing to share their mounds of money with others. The only thing is that one couple who won, John and Lisa Robinson, aren’t doing it by having people share a post on Facebook and it’s just another hoax.
Last week, it was people on Facebook asking for a share, like, and comment on a picture of their Powerball ticket so they could give cash away if they won. They even included a note with the pic that was supposedly “ legally binding ” if anyone did look to claim some of their winnings.
None of those people won, but they sure do have a lot more fans on their Facebook business pages.
The Today Show revealed some of the winners of the huge Powerball jackpot, and they were John Robinson and his wife Lisa from Tennessee. They had purchased four tickets at a food mart near their home, and the father-of-two ended up getting a winner with a quick-pick.
Their ticket did indeed have the winning numbers of 4, 8, 19, 27, 34 and then the Powerball of 10. John Robinson was a bit frightened by it all.
“Actually, (I was) a little scared because I didn’t know exactly what do to. I knew that I wanted to get an accountant. I knew that I wanted to get a lawyer and try to follow the procedures that they tell you to follow.”
The Robinson’s cut of the Powerball jackpot is $533 million before taxes. If they choose to take the lump-sum cash payout, they will receive $327.8 million. They could very well give some away, but the idea that it will come through a Facebook share is not one that the Robinsons appear to have in mind.
This image has been going around Facebook in the last couple of days and it’s being shared by more and more people as time goes on. There is a caption attached to it, and it can vary, but this is one version of the hoax.
“To Celebrate Their Record Win and Give Back Powerball Winners John Robinson and his wife Lisa are Giving Away Cash To Random People Simply Invite 2 Friends to Get Your Cash After 2 Friends Click Your Link. Get Your Cash Instantly!”
Here is a hoax that started going around Facebook as soon as the identities of John and Lisa Robinson were revealed to the world. The couple has nothing to do with this image, the caption, or the idea that they are giving away money because you share the Facebook post.
Snopes reports that the origin of the image and hoax is from a fake news site known as Daily Media Buzz. Not only did they create the hoax, but they even created fake Facebook accounts to have some people say that they had gotten their money from John and Lisa Robinson.
Sadly, it was even taken a step further with a fake website being created and it is called John and Lisa Give Back or johnandlisagiveback.com . Shockingly, the site leads to nothing and is completely and totally blank now.
In December, there was a similar hoax that was being passed around Facebook and it had to do with the CEO of the company, Mark Zuckerberg . Apparently, if you shared a particular post, you would be eligible to win millions of dollars from the man himself.
Well, hundreds of thousands shared the post, but no one got any money because it wasn’t true. Ninety-nine times out of 100, these “Share and receive” posts are never true or legit. All that happens is that people are opening their social media accounts, friends lists, and computers to possible malware and scammers looking to gain access to more patsies.
John and Lisa Robinson were fortunate enough to be a couple that won the $1.6 billion Powerball jackpot. They can do anything and almost everything with their money, but the chances of them giving it away to those that share a Facebook post are very slim so don’t fall for the hoax.
[Image by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images]