USuncut – sister to UKuncut – yesterday pulled off an audacious stunt by fooling the world’s biggest press agency.

The Associated Press mistakenly published a story on Wednesday about General Electric that was based on a fake press release.

It said that General Electric, responding to criticism over the amount of taxes it pays, would repay a $3.2 billion tax refund for 2010 to the Treasury Department.

The fake release, which was emailed to the AP, included a GE logo and a link to a website designed to look like GE’s website.

USuncut paired up with renowned spoofers – The Yes Men – for the hoax.

The story noted GE CEO Jeffrey Immelt saying: “we want the public to know that we’ve heard them, and that we know many Americans are going through tough times. GE will therefore give our 2010 tax refund back to the public and allow the public to decide how to spend it.”

TechPresident reports:

Business Insider’s Joe Weisenthal notes that part of the scam involved setting up a website just one letter off from GE’s official PR hub — GENewsCenters.com, rather than GENewsCenter.com. Good thing they took such care, because these were clearly reporters with a real eye for detail.

Associated Press apologised for not fact-checking the story and withdrew it within hours.

USuncut is now planning more actions across the US this weekend.

Watch the spoof video

GE Gives Back $3.7 Billion Tax Refund to America from Samuel Winnacker on Vimeo.

Reader comments

1. Chunkylimey

   RT @libcon: USuncut fool Associated Press into reporting on GE paying back taxes http://bit.ly/fu0RqI

2. Sophia Coles-Riley

   RT @murraygw US Uncut fool Associated Press into running fake story on General Electric repaying $3.2bn in dodged tax http://is.gd/l1INc8

3. Fiona McLaren

   So good. RT @sunny_hundal Yesterday @USuncut fooled AP into reporting that General Electric was paying back its taxes http://bit.ly/fu0RqI

4. Noxi

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5. BobFarrell

   Oh, this is beautiful. http://t.co/Hy5uRrt HT @sunny_hundal #USUncut <> I heart @USUncut

6. Omar Sahal

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7. rosie rogers

   @UKuncut Yesterday, #USuncut fooled Associated Press into reporting that General Electric was paying back its taxes http://bit.ly/fu0RqI

8. Arif Attar

   Ha ha RT @rorogers123: Yesterday, #USuncut fooled AP into reporting that General Electric was paying back its taxes http://bit.ly/fu0RqI

9. Jordi Miquel?

   Yesterday, #USuncut fooled Associated Press into reporting that General Electric was paying back its taxes http://bit.ly/fu0RqI Well done!

10. Jack Seale

    Get in there! RT @rorogers123: #USUncut fooled AP into reporting that General Electric was paying back its taxes http://bit.ly/fu0RqI

11. mzfitzuk

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12. Nigel Woodcock

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13. DianeLaw

    Superb! …….USuncut fool Associated Press into reporting on GE paying back taxes | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/iAgtY05 via @libcon

14. danielgwood

    USuncut fool Associated Press into reporting on GE paying back taxes | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/MKgo0q3 via @libcon

15. LLPaulJ

    USuncut and The Yes Men fool Associated Press over General Electric back taxes http://bit.ly/hVJXKB

16. Paul Hardcastle

    RT @xerode: USuncut and The Yes Men fool Associated Press over General Electric back taxes http://bit.ly/hVJXKB

17. Rev Nev

    RT @libcon: USuncut fool Associated Press into reporting on GE paying back taxes http://bit.ly/fu0RqI

18. Jurgen Linder

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