Fake News Release Creates Problems for Shell

Royal Dutch Shell is busy this week dealing with a fake press release that said the company would suspend offshore drilling off the coast of Nigeria, potentially in response to the recent Gulf Coast oil spill.

The fake email, “featured a Shell logo, links to company websites and cautionary footnotes,” reports The Times of London.

“The e-mail invited journalists to call a telephone number, which was answered by hoaxers who claimed to work for ‘Shell media relations’ and who claimed that the decision had been taken after pressure from campaign groups such as Amnesty International.”

Business Wire SVP, Marketing Tom Becktold used the news to promote his company’s newswire services. “Trusted, vetted, secure sources like Business Wire are more valuable than ever,” he said on Twitter.

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