Picking up a dollar bill from the ground might seem mundane, but recent social media posts suggest that such a simple act could have severe health consequences.
“A fireman in Jackson just informed us that they have responded to several calls where people are picking up money off the ground and then becoming numb,” reads the beginning of the Aug. 25 Facebook post that was shared more than 3,000 times in less than a week. “The money is laced with something and when touching other parts of body they become numb.”
But a city official said there have been no such incidents in the area. Similar claims of laced items harming people in other parts of the country have been debunked, and an expert told USA TODAY it’s “just not possible” for such a reaction to occur through brief exposure with a dangerous substance.
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USA TODAY reached out to the user who shared the claim for comment.
Melissa Payne, communications director for the city of Jackson, told USA TODAY she was aware of the claims but suggested they were nothing other than a “social media hoax.”
“Our firefighters have NOT responded to any calls like this,” Payne said.
Similar claims have circulated in various places across the country in recent weeks.
For instance, in August, there were false claims...
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