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VERIFY: Some "gas shortage" viral photos are not current

Panic buying has sparked its own localized shortages in several states and some of the images are stunning.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — As fear of a gas shortage grows, so does the number of videos and images depicting anxious consumers hoarding fuel.

Even as the Colonial Pipeline gets back online after a ransomware hack, panic buying has sparked its own localized shortages in several states, and some of the images are stunning.

We’re here to verify if these pictures are truly current or not.

One viral video shows a woman at the pump, filling a plastic bag with fuel.

After taking a screenshot from the video and doing a reverse image search, First Coast News found a tweet from back in 2019 with the same exact video. We have not pinned down if this is the original post, but we can verify the video is not current.

A viral image depicts a couple filling a half-dozen of, what appear to be, 5-gallon gas cans, and stacking them horizontally in the back of their SUV.

Credit: Mike Mcleod

After doing a reverse image search, we found the original post by Mike Mcleod in Andalusia, Alabama. He showed us the time and location stamps on the picture to prove he took it.

“I never expected it to go viral and of course everyone is taking it as their own and doing whatever they want with it,” Mcleod said.

We can verify Mcleod’s image is current. It was taken May 10.

Another viral post shows trash bags in the trunk of a car filled with fuel. It’s been retweeted and liked tens of thousands of times.

Turns out, it’s not even from this year. After a reverse image search, we found it posted on corvetteforum.com back in 2019. Though we don’t know if this is the original post, we can verify it is not current.

As with most panic buying, the fear is often more of a problem than the actual shortage. So when you see images like these, make sure you do your research before sharing.

    

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