How we confirm a story
Six checks, always in the same order. The strip on every story shows how many are done, so you can see what we know and what we do not yet.
Six checks before we call it confirmed
A story goes out when the first four checks are done, marked as developing. It is marked confirmed only after all six. If a story was wrong, we say so at the top and log the correction.
Source
We find the original: the filing, the code change, the transaction on the ledger or the statement itself, not a post about it.
Second source
Someone independent of the first source confirms it, or a second document does.
Public record
Where a ledger, a code repository or a court record can show it, we look ourselves and link to it.
Right of reply
The company, project or person named gets the claim and time to answer. If they do not reply, we say so.
Specialist read
A developer, lawyer or security researcher reads the draft for what we got wrong.
Editor's sign-off
A second editor reads the story against the five checks before it is marked confirmed.
One story, check by check
How the “wallet migration” email story went from a reader’s message to confirmed in a day and a half (sample).
Tue 09:40
Source
A reader forwards the email. We find the sending domain was registered two days earlier.
Tue 11:15
Second source
Two more readers send the same email from different lists.
Tue 13:30
Public record
The domain’s registration record and the page’s code match a scam kit we have seen before.
Tue 15:05
Right of reply
The exchange it copies confirms it never sends migration emails. Published as developing.
Wed 10:20
Specialist read
A security researcher (sample) checks the page and our description of it.
Wed 12:00
Editor's sign-off
A second editor reads it against the five checks. Marked confirmed.
What the labels mean
Confirmed
All six checks done. We stand behind every fact in the story.
Developing
Four or five checks done. Published with what is confirmed so far; the strip fills as we go.
Checking
Fewer than four checks. Not reported; it may appear in Claims we are checking.
Corrected
A fact was wrong. The correction is at the top of the story and in the corrections log.
Claims we are checking
Readers send us claims every day. These have fewer than four checks, so we have not reported them. If you see one, treat it as unconfirmed.
A wallet app “stops working on 1 November unless you upgrade”
Emails and texts forwarded by readers
2 of 6, checking, not reported
We have the message and a second reader’s copy. The wallet maker has not answered yet. Do not click the link in it.
Messages saying a parcel fee can be paid at a crypto machine
Texts sent to readers in Springfield (sample)
3 of 6, checking, not reported
Three copies, and the delivery company’s own page says it never asks for this. Waiting for a security researcher’s read.
A celebrity live stream “doubles any coins you send”
Video posts shared on social media
1 of 6, checking, not reported
Every giveaway like this that we have checked has been a scam. Do not send anything.
“A new law bans holding crypto from January”
A chain message
0 of 6, no source yet
No source yet: we found no bill, filing or announcement.
Claims and counts (sample). A claim leaves this list when it is reported, or when we find it is false.
When we get it wrong
We correct the story, say at the top what changed and add it to the log. We never delete a story quietly.
Not sure if it is true? Ask the desk
Send us the message, the link or the question. An editor reads every one and replies within three working days.