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highplainsdem

(63,102 posts) Thu Apr 2, 2026, 11:19 AM Apr 2

World's oldest tortoise caught in viral crypto death scam

Source: Guardian

At 194 years old, Jonathan the giant tortoise was a youngster when Queen Victoria ascended to the throne – and has now lived long enough to fall victim to a crypto scam.

News outlets including the BBC, Daily Mail and USA Today falsely reported his death after an X account posing as Jonathan’s vet broke the news.

The post, attributed to “Joe Hollins”, claimed: “Heartbroken to share that our beloved Jonathan, the world’s oldest living land animal, has passed away today peacefully on Saint Helena.

-snip-

Though the post received 2m views and was reported as fact by the UK’s national broadcaster, checks by the Guardian revealed the account was based in Brazil. The real vet, who does not use X, said: “Jonathan the tortoise is very much alive. I believe on X the person purporting to be me is asking for crypto donations, so it’s not even an April fool joke. It’s a con.”

-snip-

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/02/worlds-oldest-tortoise-crypto-death-scam

The imposter was asking for crypto donations.

17 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

World's oldest tortoise caught in viral crypto death scam (Original Post) highplainsdem Apr 2 OP

So happy to hear that Jonathan still walks the Earth. 3catwoman3 Apr 2 #1

K & R berniesandersmittens Apr 2 #2

And just for one magical moment dweller Apr 2 #3

I guess the lesson here is if you're sure of your facts MustLoveBeagles Apr 2 #4

The reason so many believed it so easily is that it wasn't a very extraordinary claim ... William Seger Apr 2 #7

Crypto, eh? Kid Berwyn Apr 2 #5

BBC, Daily Mail and USA Today Tasmanian Devil Apr 2 #6

And people wonder why some of us look askance at "news" items posted here from X without any independent vertification. ShazzieB Apr 2 #10

People suck Auggie Apr 2 #8

Donations for what? BidenRocks Apr 2 #9

Purina Tortoise Chow, for Jonathan's 87,341 children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great - great-grandchildren,.. LudwigPastorius Apr 2 #15

Do DUers know that they can delete, edit, and un-rec posts? progressoid Apr 2 #11

Un-rec? That's an option, now? I've seen many posts that I'd like to un-rec! QueerDuck Apr 2 #12

You can un-rec something that you've rec'd. progressoid Apr 2 #14

Boo for the con, Yay for the news that Jonathan still lives! Spazito Apr 2 #13

Great. anamnua Apr 2 #16

Yay!! I was so sad about this. Mean People Suck. littlemissmartypants Apr 3 #17

3catwoman3

(29,804 posts)

1. So happy to hear that Jonathan still walks the Earth.

Reply to highplainsdem (Original post)

Thu Apr 2, 2026, 11:26 AM

Apr 2

Rooting for 200.

berniesandersmittens

(13,211 posts)

2. K & R

Reply to highplainsdem (Original post)

Thu Apr 2, 2026, 11:30 AM

Apr 2

dweller

(28,683 posts)

3. And just for one magical moment

Reply to highplainsdem (Original post)

Thu Apr 2, 2026, 11:38 AM

Apr 2

Mcturtle believed he’d moved into the #1 slot …

🫤

✌🏻

MustLoveBeagles

(17,260 posts)

4. I guess the lesson here is if you're sure of your facts

Reply to highplainsdem (Original post)

Thu Apr 2, 2026, 12:00 PM

Apr 2

Still double check just in case you missed something. You gain nothing if you report it first and it turns out to be wrong.

I so happy Jonathan is still with us.

William Seger

(12,529 posts)

7. The reason so many believed it so easily is that it wasn't a very extraordinary claim ...

Reply to MustLoveBeagles (Reply #4)

Thu Apr 2, 2026, 01:04 PM

Apr 2

... for such an old animal -- the extraordinary thing would be that he lived that long -- and if you didn't notice the bit about donations, there's no immediate reason to suspect that someone would lie about something like that. If you DID notice that bit and you were thinking about contributing (or thinking about re-reporting it in your news source!), that's when either a suspicious nature or critical thinking skills could have saved you some money and/or embarrassment.

Kid Berwyn

(25,091 posts)

5. Crypto, eh?

Reply to highplainsdem (Original post)

Thu Apr 2, 2026, 12:26 PM

Apr 2

Tasmanian Devil

(223 posts)

6. BBC, Daily Mail and USA Today

Reply to highplainsdem (Original post)

Thu Apr 2, 2026, 01:04 PM

Apr 2

The main lesson we should learn here is that even the national news services don't bother to confirm stories they see on twitter before rushing to print.

Could my opinion of the mainstream press get any lower? Amazing.

ShazzieB

(22,881 posts)

10. And people wonder why some of us look askance at "news" items posted here from X without any independent vertification.

Reply to Tasmanian Devil (Reply #6)

Thu Apr 2, 2026, 01:37 PM

Apr 2

Auggie

(33,314 posts)

8. People suck

Reply to highplainsdem (Original post)

Thu Apr 2, 2026, 01:14 PM

Apr 2

BidenRocks

(3,488 posts)

9. Donations for what?

Reply to highplainsdem (Original post)

Thu Apr 2, 2026, 01:22 PM

Apr 2

Burial is a very large pot of boiling water.

LudwigPastorius

(15,006 posts)

15. Purina Tortoise Chow, for Jonathan's 87,341 children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great - great-grandchildren,..

Reply to BidenRocks (Reply #9)

Thu Apr 2, 2026, 03:31 PM

Apr 2

etc. etc.

progressoid

(53,371 posts)

11. Do DUers know that they can delete, edit, and un-rec posts?

Reply to highplainsdem (Original post)

Thu Apr 2, 2026, 01:50 PM

Apr 2

QueerDuck

(1,940 posts)

12. Un-rec? That's an option, now? I've seen many posts that I'd like to un-rec!

Reply to progressoid (Reply #11)

Thu Apr 2, 2026, 01:55 PM

Apr 2

progressoid

(53,371 posts)

14. You can un-rec something that you've rec'd.

Reply to QueerDuck (Reply #12)

Thu Apr 2, 2026, 02:08 PM

Apr 2

If I remember correctly, DU did try an un-rec option for any OP and it was not pretty. Lots of hurt feelings.

But you can go back and un-rec something that you have rec'd after you find out it might not be true or you change your mind or the alcohol wears off (cough cough - not speaking from any personal experience - cough cough).

Spazito

(56,075 posts)

13. Boo for the con, Yay for the news that Jonathan still lives!

Reply to highplainsdem (Original post)

Thu Apr 2, 2026, 02:03 PM

Apr 2

anamnua

(1,525 posts)

16. Great.

Reply to highplainsdem (Original post)

Thu Apr 2, 2026, 04:46 PM

Apr 2

It would be a shame if he passed on at such a young and tender age.

littlemissmartypants

(34,354 posts)

17. Yay!! I was so sad about this. Mean People Suck.

Reply to highplainsdem (Original post)

Fri Apr 3, 2026, 12:58 AM

Apr 3

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