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A Lot Of People Are Falling For An Instagram Hoax Offering Free Flights

Remember, everyone: Nothing is real.

By Richard James

Richard James BuzzFeed News Reporter, UK

Posted on October 7, 2014, at 5:40 a.m. ET

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If you're on Instagram you may recently have noticed people you follow sharing these accounts claiming to offer free Ryanair and easyJet flights.

Seems a bit too good to be true doesn't it?

One clue that the offer may not be genuine is the way the RyanAir_UK account keeps on changing the amount of followers that will be eligible for the free flights.

Another is that Ryanair is obviously an Irish company, with its headquarters located in Dublin, not the UK.

And another is that Ryanair doesn't have a capped-up A.

But that hasn't stopped a lot of people following the fake accounts and asking the airlines on Twitter why they haven't received their free flights.

Joshua Hancock-Brown@pompeyjosh1990 Follow
@Ryanair how do i claim my free tickets for instagram?
10:38 AM - 05 Oct 14 Reply Retweet Favorite

Sam@samwilsonnnnn Follow
Actually recon this easyjet instagram account is real me you know.
11:01 PM - 06 Oct 14 Reply Retweet Favorite

Some people appear to have been in on the joke.

Scott Fowler@scottfowler360 Follow
Where's my two free tickets then @easyJet for being in the top 3000 followers on Instagram!?...I have a date with Amsterdam!
8:25 AM - 07 Oct 14 Reply Retweet Favorite

But most have been desperate to know if the offer is real.

Rebecca Emery@onesugarplease Follow
@Ryanair Hi, is your Instagram account offer with first 2000 followers get 2 free tickets for an EU flight for real?
9:12 AM - 07 Oct 14 Reply Retweet Favorite

? Ayah Marar ?@AyahMarar Follow
Is this @easyJet Instagram promo competition for real? If so, give us some T&Cs man! #easyjet #instagram
10:18 AM - 05 Oct 14 Reply Retweet Favorite

Unfortunately for everyone who followed and shared the accounts, the airlines eventually confirmed the inevitable.

Ryanair@Ryanair Follow
@twilkin Hi Tom, we do not have an account in Instagram. Thank You. AA
10:58 AM - 05 Oct 14 Reply Retweet Favorite

Ryanair@Ryanair Follow
#Ryanair is on Twitter, @Ryanair, YouTube http://t.co/yatPBlsuaV, & LinkedIn http://t.co/lxNeUetktV. We're not yet active on other platforms
11:11 AM - 05 Oct 14 Reply Retweet Favorite

easyJet@easyJet Follow
Hi everyone, unfortunately we’ve had a few fake Instagram accounts pop up. For all official updates please follow @easyJet. Thanks
5:00 PM - 06 Oct 14 Reply Retweet Favorite

Sorry everyone.

giphy.com / Via BBC

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Richard James is the News Director for BuzzFeed Australia and is based in Sydney.

Contact Richard James at richard.james@buzzfeed.com.

Got a confidential tip? Submit it here.

A BuzzFeed News investigation, in partnership with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, based on thousands of documents the government didn't want you to see.