Did a Norwegian woman give birth to an elephant? Obviously not.

Rumours that a Norwegian woman gave birth to an elephant are spreading across the Internet from users unaware that they are spreading the link on Facebook.

It appears to have started on a fake news website called Huzlers.com, which often posts nonsense articles to lure visitors to its website. The fake article claimed that a woman in Norway gave birth to a “half human/half elephant hybrid baby” and even shows a photo purporting to be of the genetically challenged child.

Of course the photo is entirely false, and is actually an art exhibit by Australian artist Patricia Piccinini.

Since the fake Huzlers article was published, rogue Facebook apps have been taking advantage of the fake story by luring visitors into installing Facebook apps that forward users to malware/advert plagued websites

Despite the obvious ludicrous nature of the story, it has still apparently managed to lure a number of curious Facebook users into installing the rogue app – which then goes on to auto-post the same link from that persons Facebook account, spreading itself across the social networking site. (See photo below)

Remember to avoid installing Facebook apps you don’t trust, especially if they are luring you with some silly stories. And if you do install these rogue apps make sure you uninstall them as soon as you can and remove any posts they may have made.

Think you may have been tricked into installing malware? Remember to run a full system scan with your antivirus software. If you’re looking to upgrade your security software click here.