Rewrite the claim as a specific sentence
Identify the product, period and outcome being described. “This fund doubled” leaves open whether the statement concerns price, total return, a selected period or a hypothetical illustration. “Everyone qualifies” needs a definition of who is included and under which conditions. If the claim cannot be stated clearly, it is not ready to be repeated as a fact.
Separate a numerical claim from an opinion. A preference for a budgeting method can be discussed as a preference; a claim that it saves a particular amount for everyone requires evidence. Do not turn one person's reported experience into a general result without a basis for doing so.
Trace the statement to its original context
Follow the citation or reference rather than stopping at a screenshot. Check the date, authoring organisation and whether the material has been updated. A genuine source can still be quoted out of context or applied to the wrong country. An old product condition is not automatically the current condition.
Look at the complete explanation around the quoted figure. Is it before or after fees? Does it assume reinvested income? Is the amount an average, a maximum or a selected example? These distinctions can change what a headline appears to promise without changing any digit in the headline itself.
Reproduce simple arithmetic
If the claim compares costs or returns, put the inputs on the same basis. For example, a $6 monthly fee is $72 over twelve months if unchanged; comparing it with a $60 annual fee requires acknowledging the payment timing and equivalent service. If a percentage is used, identify the starting amount and whether the change is in percentage points.
Do not fill missing assumptions with the most favourable interpretation. Mark what is unknown. If a result depends on an unverified rate or a fictional performance path, the arithmetic can be correct while the implied real-world conclusion remains unsupported.
Share the qualification with the claim
When the statement is supported, include enough context for another reader to understand its limits. A link to the original source is more useful than a cropped image with the date removed. If the source does not establish the claim, say that instead of presenting uncertainty as a confirmed warning or endorsement.
Be particularly cautious when the message asks for immediate investment or personal information. Investor.gov identifies pressure, exaggerated returns and unsolicited requests as fraud warning signs. A claim that benefits from being forwarded quickly deserves a slower check, especially when money or account access is involved.
