AP writes GE tax story based on fake news release

The Associated Press wrote a story saying that General Electric Co. planned to repay its $3.2 billion tax refund based on a news release that was fake.

Richard D’Errico of the Albany Business Review writes, “A press release appeared briefly on GE’s website saying GE had heard the public’s outcry. The fake press release had the headline: ‘GE responds to public outcry — will donate entire $3.2 billion refund to help offset cuts and save American jobs.’

“‘We want the public to know that we’ve heard them, and that we know many Americans are going through hard times,’ the fake press release quotes GE CEO Jeffrey Immelt saying. ‘GE will therefore give our 2010 tax refund back to the public and allow the public to decide how to spend it.;

“A GE spokeswoman at GE headquarters in Fairfield, Conn., told The Business Review that the press release was not issued by GE. ‘It’s a hoax,’ a GE spokeswoman said.

“The phony press release was picked up by a number of news outlets. The official-looking release was quickly removed from GE’s corporate website. Details on how the site was hacked into and who may be responsible for the hoax were not immediately available.”