NSA Whistleblower Edward Snowden, an Analyst With a U.S. Defence Contractor, is Interviewed by The Guardian in His Hotel Room in Hong Kong
NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, an analyst with a U.S. defence contractor, is seen in this still image taken from video during an interview by The Guardian in his hotel room in Hong Kong.REUTERS

A fake Twitter account claiming to belong to a Russian minister upset many on social media after it claimed that former NSA contractor Edward Snowden was found dead.

A hoax account claiming to be the official Twitter handle of Vladimir Kolokoltsev, Interior Minister of Russian Federation rake up a storm on social media. It is now confirmed that Snowden is live, while the Twitter account is fake.

" Former NSA contractor Edward J. Snowden was found diedd few minutes ago in his home. No details," he fake account (@RussiaIntMinist)pretending to be Vladimir Kolokoltsev, Interior Minister of Russian Federation said.

It is now been established the Edward Snowden death claim was an elaborate hoax by a Twitter account that previously claimed to belong to Raul Castro; at one point it pretended to be Ashton Carter and before that has impersonated as Loretta Lynch, US Attorney among a host of others.

A Business Insider report noted that such fake accounts accumulate followers over time, and switch names and handles "making it look like the account has a legacy and history of being real."  

This is, however, not the first time that a fake account on Twitter claimed that Snowden was dead. Back in 2013 a fake Twitter account claiming to belong to The Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald, had tweeted that Snowden was 'confirmed dead.'

The fake account @ggreenwild then even tweeted Snowden was killed in a drone strike in Hong Kong.

Twitter Reactions

Just Another Guy ‏@JaiAryawart

Devil America killed him.RT @RussiaIntMinist Former NSA contractor Edward J. Snowden was found died few minutes ago in his home. No details.

Manas.C.P ‏@manascp

Is the news about Edward Snowden True???

Lucie ‏@Lucie24584443

RT ShivAroor: Snowden just called. He's fine.

David Sheppard ‏@OilSheppard 

So Snowden's still alive then. Carry on.

Yogesh L ‏@yogi_Londhe 

Edward Snowden Is Not Dead, Despite Twitter Rumors

Mohammad Affan ‏@AffanAAP 

RT ankitlal: Fingers crossed abt #Snowden news. When you take up someone as mighty as the US govt they come after you like anything!

A.T.O.M ‏@atomsoffice 

RT cheguwera: That Bloody twitter who says #Snowden is died is just created yesterday .
maybe a fake account
#Snowden is born to win

Sharath Rao ‏@sharathinindia  

Edward Snowden Is Not Dead

Eoghan mac Suibhne ‏@buileshuibhne 

"Russian interior min" Twitter account referring to #Snowden death was previously Raul Castro, Loretta Lynch & others