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Official reports, hearing transcripts, case files and releases: the paper behind the cases. 2,872 documents, 2,610 mirrored with their text, 53,529 pages indexed, so a search reads inside them and lands on the page.

New in the library The PURSUE files The Department of War's UAP release, mirrored in full: the videos, recordings and images, each beside its case file.

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Collection Issuer Kind Sort order From year To year

“hoax”

Documents 176 Scans in the stories 85

Documents matching “hoax”176 records · page 3

UFO research guide Document

The National Archives· 13 pages · Cited by the stories · 10 stories
- p. 4 …ordinary objects or phenomena, optical illusions, psychological delusions or hoaxes. They concluded with the following statement: 'We accordingly recommend very…
CIA's Role in the Study of UFOs, 1947-90 Document

CIA (Gerald Haines)· 1997· 18 pages · Cited by the stories · 10 stories
- p. 1 …masshysteria andhallucination, hoax, ormisinterpretation ofknown objects.Nevertheless, thereport rec ommendedcontinuedmilitary intelligencecontrol over theinvesti gation of allsightings and did not Gerald…
- p. 18 …Fair-WitnessProject, 1988),PublicationNumber 1290; Klass, NewEvidence ofMJ-12 Hoax, SkepticalInquirer, vol. 14 (Winter 1990); andMoore andJaime H.Shandera, TheMJ…
UFO research guide, August 2011 Document

The National Archives· 2011-08· 15 pages · Cited by the stories · 12 stories
- p. 4 …ordinary objects or phenomena, optical illusions, psychological delusions or hoaxes. They concluded with the following statement: 'We accordingly recommend very…
Analysis of Flying Object Incidents in the United States, 1949 Report

U.S. Department of War· 1949-04-28· 34 pages · PURSUE release (war.gov) · 5 stories
- p. 20 …Among those incidents positively explained, three were hoaxes, two were from unreliable witnesses. In the remaining 13 eliminated incidents, objects…
Analysis of Flying Object Incidents in the United States, 1948 Report

U.S. Department of War· 1948-12-10· 67 pages · PURSUE release (war.gov) · 6 stories
- p. 39 …Among those incidents positively explained, three were hoaxes, two were from unreliable witnesses. In the remaining 13 eliminated incidents, objects…
The UFO files extract Document

The National Archives· 22 pages · Cited by the stories · 3 stories
- p. 10 …balloons and birds, optical illusions, psychological delusions and deliberate hoaxes. Churchill was told that an earlier investigation, carried out by…
UFO files briefing guide Document

The National Archives· 15 pages · Cited by the stories · 10 stories
- p. 4 …ordinary objects or phenomena, optical illusions, psychological delusions or hoaxes. They concluded with the following statement: 'We accordingly recommend very…
Unidentified Flying Objects research guide Document

The National Archives· 15 pages · Cited by the stories · 8 stories
- p. 4 …ordinary objects or phenomena, optical illusions, psychological delusions or hoaxes. They concluded with the following statement: 'We accordingly recommend very…
9506127: 26457815-20060474F-002-003-2023 Official release

· 105 pages · National Archives · 8 stories
- p. 28 …data base in two popular areas: Active Disinformation Examples: Hoaxing of certain events to entrap or embarrass researchers or organizations…
(EST Pub Date) CIA's Role in the Study of UFO's, 1947-90, by Gerald K. Haines FOIA release

Central Intelligence Agency· 1999-07-01· 18 pages · CIA reading room · 10 stories
- p. 1 …mass hysteria and hallucination, hoax, or misinterpretation of known objects. Nevertheless, the report recommended continued military intelligence control over the…
- p. 17 …The Zaneville photographs turned out to be a hoax. 79. See Edward U. Condon, Scientific Study of Unidentified Flying Objects…
- p. 18 …Fair-Witness Project, 1988), Publication Number 1290; Klass, "New Evidence of MJ-12 Hoax," Skeptical Inquirer, vol. 14 (Winter 1990…
FBI file: UFO, UFO Part 16 FOIA release

Federal Bureau of Investigation· 169 pages · FBI Vault · 2 stories
- p. 38 Some reports stemmed from pure imagination or hysteria, while others were deliberate hoaxes. Any other reports can be explained if…
- p. 164 …a reading background to have formed so detailed a hoax. ## SIMILARITIES TO OTHER REPORTS: 1 This object does not resemble…
Report of Air Force Research Regarding the Roswell Incident Report

NSA (declassified documents)· 1994-07· 22 pages · Cited by the stories · 2 stories
- p. 13 …After much discussion and information gathering on this incident, it was learned to be a hoax. There is no similar…
rosswe1 FOIA release

Office of the Secretary of Defense· 31 pages · OSD reading room · 2 stories
- p. 15 …After much discussion and information gathering on this incident, it was learned to be a hoax. There is no similar…
- p. 24 …Additionally, some of these claims have been shown to be hoaxes, even by other UFO researchers. Thirdly, when such claims…
Re: Declaration in Bryant V CIA FOIA release

Central Intelligence Agency· 2010-01-15· 58 pages · CIA reading room · 2 stories
- p. 27 …mass hysteria and hillucination, hoax, or misinterpretation 0F known objects. Nevertheless. the report rec- ommended continued military in.relligence.cont…
- p. 43 …The Zaneville photographs turned out to be a hoax. See Edward U. Condon. Srirrrrifir Study ofl/nidenrrfizd Flying Object: (New…
- p. 44 …1988), Publication Number 1290; “Kim, “New Evidence of'M-12 Hoax,” $§q7ric¢l Inquirer, vol. 14 (Winter 1990); and Moore…
Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena: Exposing the Truth (hearing transcript) Hearing transcript

U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Accountability· 2024-11-13· 52 pages · Congressional hearings · 2 stories
- p. 18 …or foreign government weapons program, such as drones, aircraft, balloons, CGI hoaxes, or birds. Whatever UAPs are, Congress must be…
Department of the Air Force Committee to Review Project Bluebook, 1966-1967 Official release

U.S. Department of War· 1967-04-17· 85 pages · PURSUE release (war.gov) · 4 stories
- p. 42 …Second, they can cast reflections on the sighters mental ability or claim that he is trying to perpetrate a hoax…
FBI file: UFO, UFO Part 12 FOIA release

Federal Bureau of Investigation· 142 pages · FBI Vault · 2 stories
- p. 30 …erroneously reported, known electronic and meteorological phenomena, light aberrations, hoaxes, and other known natural occurrences or man-made objects. The…
- p. 33 …The flying saucers were apparitions, it sai all attributable either to a failure to recognize conventional objects, hoaxes, or to…
FBI file: UFO, UFO Part 14 FOIA release

Federal Bureau of Investigation· 141 pages · FBI Vault · 1 story
- p. 24 …The Government, he believes, wouldn't look kindly on a hoax and would make a fool of a person trying…
box Incident Summaries 101-172 Official release

U.S. Department of War· 178 pages · PURSUE release (war.gov) · 4 stories
- p. 13 …for example, the "flying lenses" (in my opinion 99% hoax and imagination and 1% real). As regards the Norcatur, Kansas…
Project Blue Book Socorro file Document

The Black Vault· 167 pages · Cited by the stories · 1 story
- p. 96 The hoax hypothesis is, of course, one that suggests itself immediately. It is Quintanilla's and my opinion that both…
- p. 109 …Or did they? Menzel's idea that the speeded was a deliberate decoy, who signaled to the hoaxes by walkie…
- p. 110 …He told me of an elaborate hoax that was played on one of the geologists at Ohio State University when…
- 13 more pages mention it
FBI file: UFO, UFO Part 03 FOIA release

Federal Bureau of Investigation· 111 pages · FBI Vault · 4 stories
- p. 85 …IT WOULD ALSO APPEAR THAT AND DID NOT ADMIT THE HOAX TO THE ARMY INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS BECAUSE IF HAD DONE…
U.S. Air Force Analysis of Flying Objects in the United States, 101-172 Report

U.S. Department of War· 210 pages · PURSUE release (war.gov) · 4 stories
- p. 11 …for example, the "flying lenses" (in my opinion 99% hoax and imagination and 1% real). As regards the Norcatur, Kansas…
MacPhilpin 1880, Google Books scan of Harvard copy Document

Internet Archive· 91 pages · Cited by the stories · 1 story
- p. 38 …such thing as an apparition;" "it is all a hoax." So, too, says the incredulous Catholic; and, mind you, very…
FBI file: UFO, UFO Part 08 FOIA release

Federal Bureau of Investigation· 66 pages · FBI Vault · 1 story

FLYING SAUCER HAD LANDED NEAR ELMIRA, NY AIRPORT. RESIDENT AGENT AT ELMIRA ADVISES "FLYING SAUCER" WAS CORRUGATED CARDBOARD…
Congressional, White House, UFO-related Constituent Correspondence, 1998 Official release

U.S. Government· 1998· 86 pages · PURSUE release (war.gov) · 1 story
- p. 11 …It is a hoax. What the anonymous counter feiter did (I have reason to suspect a 43
Project Blue Book case file: Levelland, November 2-3, 1957 (81 pages) Document

USAF / National Archives via The Black Vault· 82 pages · Cited by the stories · 1 story
- p. 27 …LOCAL SHERIFF STATES HE CAN BREAK IT'S STORY TO MAKE HIM PERSONALLY ADMIT STORY WAS A HOAX. BELIEVE PORTION…
- p. 41 …Of the five cases "looked into," one could be promptly dismissed as a hoax (the Schmidt case, Kearney, Nebraska, Nov…
- p. 81 …Other (SPURIOUS RETURN Other (GROUND LIGHT) Other (HOAX) Other (MALFUNCTION/EL INTERFERENCE) Aircraft Aircraft Aircraft Aircraft Astro (VENUS) Aircraft Astro…
Project Blue Book File on Tremonton Film, Utah, 1952 Case file

U.S. Department of War· 1952-07-02· 156 pages · PURSUE release (war.gov) · 1 story
- p. 58 …EVALUATION EVALUATION OF SOURCEz D Excellent □ Oood □ Fair □ Poor D Unreliable D F.xtremely Doubtful □ Hoax 22. DETAILS OF REPORTz…
DOW-UAP-D102: Project Blue Book File on Tremonton Film, Utah, 1952 Document

Department of War· 2026-09-18· 156 pages · Cited by the stories · 1 story
- p. 58 …EVALUATION EVALUATION OF SOURCEz D Excellent □ Oood □ Fair □ Poor D Unreliable D F.xtremely Doubtful □ Hoax 22. DETAILS OF REPORTz…
Project Blue Book case file: Kenneth Arnold Document

The Black Vault (USAF records)· 62 pages · Cited by the stories · 4 stories
- p. 43 …encouraged the hysteria, and, as a climax, and elaborate hoax that produced material "evidence" to prove the existence of spaceships…
The Apparitions and Miracles at Knock; also, the Official Depositions of the Eye-witnesses Document

M.H. Gill & Son (1880), via Internet Archive· 1880· 90 pages · Cited by the stories · 1 story
- p. 37 …thing as an appari tion ;" " it is all a hoax." So, too, says the incredulous Catholic ; and, mind you, very…
Aboard a Flying Saucer the Adventures of Two 'Kidnapped' Humans FOIA release

Central Intelligence Agency· 2001-03-12· 29 pages · CIA reading room · 1 story
- p. 4 …He thought it was possible that the Hills might be seeking publicity, perpetrating a hoax or suffering from a mental…
U.S. Air Force Flying Discs File, 1952 Official release

U.S. Department of War· 1952· 253 pages · PURSUE release (war.gov) · 4 stories
- p. 14 …recent exposure of the flying-saucer 11l ittle men" hoax, I feel that perhaps our latest report on the saucer…
- p. 83 …to la.ave little doubt that thh lea a hoax. l Incl: (w/orig. only-) Fl70b rpt tt A.')C…
- p. 87 …Dec 4$ OSI rpt Directorate o£ Intel.J4gcnce 5. Hoax 6. Brie.f.ing A11c l'.11, '· 1- l, - ( l…
- 3 more pages mention it
65 HS1-834228961 62-HQ-83894 Section 004 Official release

Federal Bureau of Investigation· 214 pages · PURSUE release (war.gov) · 2 stories
- p. 37 …If there is a reasonable indication that a reported incident ia a hoax or the fabrication of a publioity seeking…
- p. 109 …referenced letter are the result of accident or purposeful hoax and are not actually photographs of a "f l :.:1t…
65 HS1-834228961 62-HQ-83894 SUB A Official release

Federal Bureau of Investigation· 124 pages · PURSUE release (war.gov) · 4 stories
- p. 87 …objects or a mild form of mass hysteria or hoaxes.'' It was said a continuance of the inquiry was " unwarranted…
- p. 109 …Tlleir hoax was exposed after As sls"tant Police Chief L. D. McCracken was tipped off that one cf the…
- p. 110 …and nu- erous wires- was a ,hoax and, ac ording to the Army, had "no ot~ r function than to…
- 7 more pages mention it
Air Materiel Command Report on Unidentified Flying Objects, 1947-1948 Report

U.S. Department of War· 1947· 245 pages · PURSUE release (war.gov) · 3 stories
- p. 7 …The possibility that some of the sightings are halluoir:a tions, optical illusions or even deliberate hoaxes has been con…
Symposium on unidentified flying objects: hearings before the Committee on Science and Astronautics, U.S. House of Representatives, Ninetieth Congress, second session, July 29, 1968. Hearing transcript

U.S. House of Representatives· 1968-07-29· 256 pages · Congress and GPO · 6 stories
- p. 62 …The question that arises almost immediately is that of a practical joke, a hoax. However, the resources required to fabricate…
- p. 246 …Hoaxes or Lies An obvious and straightforward ex- planation of the UFO's is that the wit- nesses are lying…
- p. 249 …Menzel and Boyd (1963) and ap- parently the United States Air Force consider the sighting to be a hoax. Of…
- 16 more pages mention it
FOIA on Martin Luther King FOIA release

Central Intelligence Agency· 2025-06-12· 295 pages · CIA reading room · 0 stories
- p. 104 …Poulin indicated that the entire information may be a complete hoax; however, CIA will advise FBI if any additional data…
Project Condign (DEFE 24/2090) Document

Internet Archive (DocumentCloud mirror of Telegraph upload)· 160 pages · Cited by the stories · 5 stories
- p. 45 3. - Probable hoax or publicity stunt. 4. - Unidentified. f. Any possible explanation, such as military exercises etc. 2. Because of…
MOD file DEFE 24/2032/1 Document

The Black Vault· 492 pages · Cited by the stories · 2 stories
- p. 189 …There are also hoaxes: there are some very effective aerlal hoaxes r-rhich have been perpetrated by children - \'Thich I…
- p. 211 …There are also hoaxes: there are some very effectiva aertal hoaxes ""~hich _have been perpetrated by children - ~1hich I will…
8,000 pages of Declassified Canadian UFO Documents Document

Internet Archive· 2015-12-10· 300 pages · Cited by the stories · 1 story
- p. 263 …I am afraid that the more I study this field, the more I realize how much hoaxing has occurred on…
Declassified Canadian UFO Documents, search for Michalak FOIA release

Internet Archive· 300 pages · Cited by the stories · 1 story
- p. 263 …I am afraid that the more I study this field, the more I realize how much hoaxing has occurred on…
The Roswell Report: Fact vs. Fiction in the New Mexico Desert Report

USAF / The Black Vault· 1995· 882 pages · Cited by the stories · 2 stories
- p. 34 …After much discussion and information gathering on this incident, it was learned to be a hoax. There is no similar…
- p. 43 …Additionally, some of these claims have been shown to be hoaxes, even by other UFO researchers. Thirdly, when such claims…
- p. 862 …an incident that he later determined to be a hoax. Records do not support the claim that he had any…
roswell FOIA release

Office of the Secretary of Defense· 993 pages · OSD reading room · 2 stories
- p. 37 …After much discussion and information gathering on this incident, it was learned to be a hoax. There is no similar…
- p. 46 …Additionally, some of these claims have been shown to be hoaxes, even by other UFO researchers. Thirdly, when such claims…
- p. 973 …an incident that he later determined to be a hoax. Records do not support the claim that he had any…
Project Blue Book documents on the Killian case, compiled by Dan Wilson Document

NICAP· 83 pages · Cited by the stories · 1 story
- p. 59 …The reports are the result of misinterpretation of various conventional objects, a mild form of mass hysteria, and hoaxes, and…
- p. 64 …December 1949, tell the press that flying saucers were hoaxes, mirages, hallucinations and mistakes by pilots? WHY did the Air…
65 HS1-834228961 62-HQ-83894 Serial 130 Official release

Federal Bureau of Investigation· 126 pages · PURSUE release (war.gov) · 1 story
- p. 45 …This was subsequently revealed as a hoax, following investigation by the army and FBI. Thereafter the saucer reports tapered off…
- p. 62 Some reports stemmed from pure imagination or hysteria, while others were deliberate hoaxes. Any other reports can be explained if…
FBI file 62-HQ-83894, section 5 Document

Department of War· 209 pages · Cited by the stories · 1 story
- p. 176 …RESIDENT AGENT CORPUS CHRISTI STATES THAT LOCAL RADIO REPORTS THIS DISCOVERY TO BE A HOAX. FURTHER INQUIRY BEING MADE AND…
- p. 180 …LOCAL RADIO NEWSCAST QUOTES CHIEF OF POLICE, ALICE, TEXAS AS STATING FLYING DISC A HOAX. OSI, KELLY AFB AND HOUSTON…
- p. 189 …HIXENBAUGH perpetrated both the original hoax concerning the flying disk and this later "hoax" concerning the flying saucer to attract…
65 HS1-834228961 62-HQ-83894 Section 005 Official release

Federal Bureau of Investigation· 209 pages · PURSUE release (war.gov) · 0 stories
- p. 176 …RESIDENT AGENT CORPUS CHRISTI STATES THAT LOCAL RADIO REPORTS THIS DISCOVERY TO BE A HOAX. FURTHER INQUIRY BEING MADE AND…
- p. 180 …LOCAL RADIO NEWSCAST QUOTES CHIEF OF POLICE, ALICE, TEXAS AS STATING FLYING DISC A HOAX. OSI, KELLY AFB AND HOUSTON…
- p. 189 …HIXENBAUGH perpetrated both the original hoax concerning the flying disk and this later "hoax" concerning the flying saucer to attract…
Blue Book case file 1948-01 Godman AFB, Kentucky Document

Internet Archive (USAF / NARA)· 75 pages · Cited by the stories · 1 story
- p. 73 …MISSING) Uniontown, Pennsylvania Decla, South Dakota Knoxville, Tennessee Insufficient Data Insufficient Data Other (HOAX) Balloon Astro (METEOR) Balloon Astro (METEOR)
Project Blue Book Mantell case file (92 pages) Document

USAF / NARA via The Black Vault· 93 pages · Cited by the stories · 1 story
- p. 74 …MISSING) Uniontown, Pennsylvania Decla, South Dakota Knoxville, Tennessee Insufficient Data Insufficient Data Other (HOAX) Balloon Astro (METEOR) Balloon Astro (METEOR)
NZDF declassified RNZAF UFO files Document

NZDF / RNZAF via Internet Archive· 2010-12· 445 pages · Cited by the stories · 1 story
- p. 213 …Thomsen, director of the Carter Observatory, repeats his claim that flying discs are a hoax. Some of us are not…
- p. 230 …This woman is reliable, not given to easy fright, nor to perpetrating hoaxes. We present her statement as it is…
- p. 273 …man-made, or flying saucers exist? Hoax or hallucination? From another world? Hoax or hallucination? Until the last five per…
- 23 more pages mention it