Internet rumours claim that Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has died.
Most Internet users would have come into contact with this hoax after seeing RIPJeffBezos trending on Twitter in the United States.
However the claims are false. There have been no reports of Bezos passing away, and the Twitter hashtag RIPJeffBezos appears to be the result of a new type of Internet “meme”.
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The latest “Twitter RIP” meme involves posting fake condolences to a celebrity who is actually still alive, attached to a picture of another person or celebrity with a vague physical resemblance to the celebrity who allegedly died.
As such, Twitter users have been posting RIPJeffBezos condolences attached to images of other celebrities including Dr. Evil, Dwayne Johnson, David Cross, Jim Rash and in some cases, just a picture of an egg.
It’s an odd meme (or perhaps more accurately, a prank) to say the least, and one that also targeted TV host Ellen just a few days prior to this.
Why Jeff Bezos was targeted specifically by this prank is unclear, but regardless, he is still alive.