Reality

‘Little People, Big World’: Amy Roloff Is Not Dead, TLC Star Was Targeted by Death Hoax

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Amy Roloff is not dead. The Little People, Big World star was the subject of a death hoax, traced to a scammy Facebook page. Roloff, 60, has posted several photos and videos on Instagram since the Facebook post claiming she was deceased was published.

On Nov. 19, a Facebook page called “Video Pivot” posted a video with the caption, “With a heavy heart at the tearful farewell to ‘Dwarf’ Amy Roloff, goodbye Amy Roloff.” The video included a doctored thumbnail image showing Roloff’s ex-husband, Matt Roloff, holding a picture of her with men carrying a casket beside him. The video had more than 53,000 views by Nov. 21, notes Snopes.

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The Facebook page was managed from Indonesia. It’s possible the goal of the page was “like-farming,” a Facebook scam the Better Business Bureau has warned about repeatedly. In the scheme, scammers create posts designed to be eye-catching and get as many likes as possible. If the page can rack up a particular number before Facebook takes them down, the scammers could then transform the page to promote spammy products. The scammers could also sell the page on the black market, and the new buyers could then use the page to spam followers or collect Facebook data.

Facebook was not the only place where Roloff’s death hoaxes could be found. Several similar fake videos popped up on YouTube recently, with titles like “Official News/ R.I.P/ Amy Roloff Passed Away Last Night At The Hospital After A Health Battle” and “Sad News Amy Roloff Is Pass Away Expected Soon Family Prepare To Say Goodbye.”

The poor grammar in many of these headlines should be a giveaway that the news is fake. Fans could also check Roloff’s Instagram page to see that she is clearly not deceased. During the week of Thanksgiving, Roloff shared two videos of herself preparing recipes. Her most recent Instagram post was published on Nov. 25 and was a promotion for the holiday products on her website.

Roloff’s daughter-in-law, Tori Roloff, also thanked Roloff for helping out on Thanksgiving Day, reports InTouch Weekly. Tori, who is married to Roloff’s son Zach Roloff, could not host Thanksgiving herself because she was sick, so Roloff stepped in. “I am so grateful for my husband and mother-in-law,” Tori wrote on her Instagram Story, alongside a photo of Zach and their three children. “They both pulled through to make sure our kids got a turkey dinner.”

Little People, Big World airs on TLC Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET. The show is also available to stream on Discovery+. It is one of the longest-running reality shows in U.S. TV history, as it is now in its 24th season.