Twitter Users Were Freaking out Over This Aretha Franklin Death Hoax

A fake Twitter account cropped up yesterday with the username @arethafranklinn, announcing that [...]

By Michael Hein

A fake Twitter account cropped up yesterday with the username @arethafranklinn, announcing that the famous soul singer had passed away. For a few hours, the Internet was fooled by the hoax, and people went wild.

The account looked very real, though it was unverified. Fans took it at face value, and got to work mourning and eulogizing Franklin. When they realized they were being trolled, they were not happy.

The record was officially set straight by Shauna Robinson, who spoke with Franklin's family directly.

Franklin has faced rumors of poor health, and even death before. There was a long-standing story that she was suffering from pancreatic cancer, which she had to squash in an interview with Access Hollywood.

Earlier this year, Franklin announced her official retirement. That may be why the timing was ripe for more false gossip.

The fake Aretha Franklin Twitter account remains up for now. Hopefully fans and followers are weary enough to see through any future hoaxes.

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