Viral 'dolphin kidnapping' arrest story is fake, Lee County deputies say

LEE COUNTY, Fla. —

A viral social media post claiming a Florida man was arrested after being found soaking wet and drawing blueprints in the sand along the Sanibel Causeway — and telling deputies he had been kidnapped by dolphins and forced to build an underwater city — is false, authorities say.

The widely shared post claims Lee County deputies arrested the man and details an unusual story involving dolphins allegedly forcing him to design an underwater city. But the Lee County Sheriff's Office says the incident never happened.

Officials told reporters they have no record of such an arrest, and the deputy named in the viral story does not exist.

Residents and visitors in the Fort Myers and Cape Coral area said the story quickly raised skepticism.

"It's got to be fake, or the guy's on something terrible," said Chad Koopsma of Cape Coral.

Others said the claim sounded more like fantasy than fact.

"It would be cool if he could have a little underground water city built by dolphins, but it's total fantasy," said Linda Osborn, who was visiting from Minnesota. "There's no way that's going to happen."

Experts say posts like the one circulating online are often created to gain attention and generate web traffic.

John Joyce, CEO of CRS Technology Consultants in Fort Myers, said viral hoaxes are commonly used to attract clicks that can eventually turn into revenue.

"The whole idea is to get something into as many hands as possible," Joyce said. "It's meant to drive traffic, drive clicks to a website or social media page. At the end of the day, any kind of viral post can generate attention that turns into dollars."

Despite the outlandish claim, the sheriff's office confirmed that no such arrest took place along the Sanibel Causeway, and the viral story appears to be a fabricated post created for online engagement.

Authorities and experts encourage social media users to verify unusual claims before sharing them online.

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