Stars who found themselves getting caught out thanks to social media

Stars such as Sydney Sweeney and Kylie Jenner love to use social media as a way to connect with fans, but sometimes they find themselves making headlines for all the wrong reasons.

The Euphoria actress’ recent attempt to give followers in glimpse into how she likes to relax at home accidently revealed she might have been committing a crime.

Elsewhere, Kylie’s claim to not have ever enjoyed a staple breakfast meal until 2018 was quickly disputed by fans who used her own previous social media posts to question the validity of her revelation.

Meanwhile, when rapper Bow Wow decided to boast about enjoying a trip on a private jet – fans took to social media to reveal all what not as it seemed.

Then the likes of Ben Affleck have  learnt that just because a comment is sent privately as a direct message, there is no guarantee it won’t still make its way to public view.

Here, Daily Mail reveals the times celebrities have been caught red-handed on social media.

Sydney Sweeney, 26: Hollywood superstar caught using illegal streaming service

Madame Web star Sydney Sweeney wanted to give fans a look into her leisurely afternoon while streaming the popular NBC drama, Law & Order: Organized Crime.

The 26-year-old simply shared an Instagram story post of herself watching the show on her huge flat screen TV.

However, it was quickly screenshot by fans who took to X, formerly Twitter, and pointed out the user interface looked extremely similar to popular illegal streaming platforms.

In a viral post, one user commented: ‘My girl pirating so real’.

‘I’d recognize my favorite site anywhere,’ another commented, while a third added: ‘I know that layout anywhere’.

Another wrote: ‘The way we all recognize the playback menu on the video player lol’.

One fan noted: ‘All the shows we want to watch are all on different streaming services WE NOT PAYING FOR 8 DIFFERENT SERVICES AND NEITHER IS MRS SWEENEY’.

‘damn even rich people ain’t payin,’ another commented, while one follower stated: ‘Saving money. No one is paying for all these streaming services’.

Some fans couldn’t help but point out the irony of Sydney’s choice of show for her potentially illegal activity as one wrote: ‘the way she’s watching LAW and ORDER while pirating LMAO’.

Another agreed: ‘Why are we pirating law and order organized crime of all things’.

Kylie Jenner, 26: Reality star caught lying about having cereal with milk for the first time

Kylie Jenner is no stranger to going viral for her social media posts but 2018 saw her sending fans into a spin when she claimed to have enjoyed cereal with milk for the first time.

At the tender age of 21, the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star claimed that she never felt the desire to pour milk on her cereal because she didn’t want a ‘soggy’ breakfast.

Taking to her Twitter account, the TV star wrote: ‘Last night I had cereal with milk for the first time. life changing. I always liked cereal dry I never bothered to put milk.’

The beauty mogul also said the cereal was Cinnamon Toast Crunch, which she added was ‘amazing.’  

She then took to her Snapchat account and added: ‘So I think people were a little confused when I tweeted that last night was the first time that I ever tried milk with my cereal.

‘That is a fact. Everyone has their personal preference, I never preferred soggy cereal. I just really enjoyed my dry, crunchy cereal, and I know there are other people out there that agreed with me.

‘So I think just as a young child, always eating dry cereal and never wanting to sog up my cereal, I’ve just got used to it where I never wanted to do it until last night until Jordyn [Woods, her best friend] said I want some cereal and milk and I was like: “You know, tonight’s the night and I’m going to try it.”‘

However, the brunette beauty wasn’t completely sold on the idea as she concluded: ‘I still prefer dry cereal but it was pretty fire and nothing was ever the same. I don’t like to put too much though, I definitely like cereal with a side of milk. I’m really not being dramatic, it’s not hitting the spot crazy.’

Just days later, it was confirmed that the Life of Kylie star had actually enjoyed the common breakfast before.

TMZ dug deep into Kylie’s social media history and found that in 2013 the reality star posted a photo of a big bowl of cereal with milk.

The photo was just a shot of the meal – which appeared to be some sort of plain bran flakes with fresh strawberries and blueberries that were swimming in milk.

In the caption, dated April 25, 2013, she wrote: ‘he keeps me healthy.’

Bow Wow, 37: Rapper caught lying about taking a flight on a private jet to New York

In May 2017, rapper Bow Wow – real name Shad Moss – bragged to his fans on his Instagram about traveling by private jet on his promotional tour for his reality show Growing Up Hip Hop: Atlanta.

But unfortunately for him, an eagle-eyed airline passenger spotted him traveling to New York on a regular commercial flight, took a photo and called the recording artist out on Twitter.  

‘So this guy lil bow wow is on my flight to NY. But on Instagram he posted a picture of a private jet captioned “traveling to NY today” smh,’ @Al_Khee tweeted.

Soon Twitter users from all over were chiming in with their reactions to the reveal with on user sharing a screen shot from a Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, VIP transportation service.

The image had the same photo of a private jet with a Mercedes transit van and a Mercedes sedan parked next to it that appeared to be the same image that Bow Wow had shared to Instagram.

Bow Wow had traveled to New York for an appearance on The Wendy Williams Show and shared a photo of himself backstage at the studio but gave no reaction to being called out over his private jet post.

Weeks later, the hitmaker did his best he to make the world believe that he simply just pulling a prank.

The Let Me Hold You rapper attempted to turn the fiasco into a way to get fans to tune into his new show.

The rapper appeared on Hot 97’s Ebro In The Morning and tried to suggest it was all part of his master plan to get people to tune into his show.

He said of the drama: ‘I love it because people don’t understand the scientific method to my madness. They really don’t understand the scientific method to my madness.

‘Number one, I’m about to have the biggest show on WeTV, period. Period. I’m saying that right now.’

The reality star suggested what he does is a ‘tactic’ but would not explain what that tactic was or how it worked saying only, ‘You gotta watch there is a method to my madness’.

When one of the hosts suggested Bow Wow was a troll which means he used the internet to get a reaction, the rapper refused to confirm or deny, ‘saying again that people need to tune in to WeTV’.

Shay Mitchell, 37: Actress caught pretending to use makeup remover for a sponsored post 

In September 2018, actress Shay Mitchell was mercilessly mocked her for sharing a video of herself demonstrating the cleaning power of a makeup remover — but failing to actually remove her makeup.

The Bioré ambassador was been accused of duping her fans after taking to Snapchat to post a seemingly staged clip of herself using the brand’s cleansing micellar water.

‘I have obviously tried my fair share of makeup removers, but these are by far my favorite,’ she says at the start of the video, and she even goes as far as pouring the liquid onto a cotton round.

After a sharp cut, she takes the pad and makes the motion of swiping it across her eye before holding it up to the camera to show off the smudged cotton.

Although she claims the cleanser removed her waterproof mascara, her eye makeup is still perfectly intact at the end of the clip.

Twitter user @ohjlizzle thought the whole thing was so comical she recorded it and posted it for all of her followers to see.

‘SHE AINT EVEN ACTUALLY RUB HER EYE IM CRYING LMFAOOOO [sic],’ she captioned the footage.

‘Omg this is the worst promo I’ve ever seen,’ one person wrote, while another added: ‘she.. didn’t even touch her EYE [sic].’ 

Many commenters were quick to agree that Shay didn’t touch the cotton round to her skin during the demonstration.

Others questioned why she was using a Snapchat filter while filming a sponsored post about makeup removal.

This isn’t the first time Shay has come under fire over a social media snafu.

In April, she was accused of faking her Instagram photos, as followers alleged that snapshots from her exotic travels were actually taken from other sites.

Mia Farrow, 79: Actress ridiculed after phone reveals awkward search term used to find picture of daughter 

Mia Farrow was ridiculed by fans in January 2015 after posting a birthday message to one of her daughters – with a picture of her beneath the search term ‘Mia Farrow and her black children’.

The photograph was of Quincy Farrow, who’s just turned 21, and was quickly replaced by a new photograph with the search term removed.

However, Twitter users had already taken a screen shot of the gaffe.

Nick Carbone tweeted the picture with the message: ‘You’d think Mia Farrow would have a photo of her daughter without having to Google it… with such an awkward search.’

The 69-year-old actress has 15 children – four from husbands Andre Previn and Woody Allen and 11 adopted, and quickly denied that she finds photographs of her loved ones by using internet searches.

She claims that the picture in question was one she took – but that the one she posted was sent to her and she used that in her Twitter feed, according to the New York Observer.

She wrote: ‘I took the photo myself & posted it before. Then someone sent it to me & I didn’t check source.’

Bella Thorne, 26: Actress gets called out for wearing animal pelt after claiming it was faux fur 

In March 2016, Bella Thorne found herself caught in a little white lie by fans.

The 18-year-old posted an outfit of the day photo of herself on Instagram rocking a fur coat but made sure trolls on the Internet did not criticize her as she claimed it was ‘faux fur.’

However, savvy users were quick to point out that the jacket looked much like the Alice & Olivia Tierra Striped Fur Jacket as product listings claim it is made of genuine fur.

The product overview read: ‘Crafted with super-soft rabbit and blue fox fur, it boasts a woven design with a cropped silhouette and is finished with a monochrome striped pattern.’

Things were clarified as a rep told TMZ that the coat was given to her during a photoshoot as she was ‘told it was faux fur.’

Her representation added to the gossip publication that she is now aware of the actual material, she will no longer wear it.

In her original post Bella wrote: ‘When you’re a tomboy and trade in sweats and kicks for boots and fur. (Dear internet Trolls, it’s faux fur…) #ootd #shoes #basic #mirrorselfie #hellomarch #supertuesday #positivevibes #girlpower.’

Along with the animal pelt jacket she could be seen wearing a body-clinging black jumpsuit along with brown leather booties.

Millie Bobby Brown, 20: Actress forced to admit faking video that saw her miming use of her skincare products

In September 2019, Millie Bobby Brown was accused of duping her fans after filming a video of herself washing her face using her Florence By Mills skincare line — and failing to remove her eye-makeup.

Shortly after launching her vegan beauty brand aimed at teens, the Stranger Things star shared a video of herself demonstrating her nighttime skincare routine.

But fans were quick to note that after it was all said and done, it looked like she still had makeup on her eyes.

Some were baffled by the choice, while others insisted she faked it and never actually washed her face.

Days later, Millie confirmed that she faked the use of her  skincare products, explaining that she thought simply ‘replicating’ her own routine was enough to give people an idea of how the products should be used.

‘I’m still learning the best way to share my routines as I get to know this space better – I’m not an expert,’ she wrote in the Notes app on her phone, before sharing a screengrab as a post on her Instagram.

‘I thought doing a quick video replicating my personal process for that night was okay, but that’s not what was conveyed.

‘I understand, I appreciate all of your feedback on this journey, please keep sharing your thoughts and I will too! [I love you] guys x’

She then ended the post with the hashtag #loveandlight.

Ben Affleck, 51: TikTok user revealed actor pursued her on Instagram after she turned him down on dating app Raya 

Ben Affleck went viral in May 2021 after a video emerged of him pursuing a woman on Instagram, after she had turned him down on celebrity dating app Raya thinking that his profile was a fake.

Nivine Jay posted a TikTok video about the experience with the caption: ‘Thinking of the time I matched with Ben Affleck on Raya and thought it was fake so I unmatched him and he sent me a video on Instagram.’

The Batman V Superman actor is then seen in an Instagram video speaking directly to camera, attempting to confirm his identity as he asks the woman: ‘Nivine, why did you unmatch me? It’s me.’

The video shows Nivine – who has written a book called Cry Baby – striking a series of poses, with the caption ‘Sorry Ben’ alongside a slew of hashtags including the actor’s name and the app Raya.

Raya is often described as the celebrity version of Tinder, as the dating app requires a membership and a vetting process, which is enticing to big movie stars like Affleck.

The app – which launched in 2015 – describes itself as being ‘an exclusive dating and networking platform for people in creative industries.’

After the video went viral, Nivine insisted that Academy Award-winning actor/director wasn’t being a ‘creep’.

‘I’m seeing a lot of comments calling him a creep and l don’t think that’s fair. l wasn’t making fun of him in the video,’ Nivine told E! News. ‘l was making fun of myself for thinking he was a catfish and it was just supposed to be funny.’