I think somebody has told me that someone has died and they haven’t

[gingerbits]

How do I find out if they have?

This reminds me of that celebrity big brother episode, David I’d dead 👀

Well it would only make her look like the strange one as you would surely just say, 'colleague told me that so-and-so had died'.

Could it be someone with the same name?

@FAQs

This reminds me of that celebrity big brother episode, David I’d dead 👀

That was amazing TV.

I find it quite hard to believe that someone would lie about someone else dying. It’s just a ridiculously stupid if they haven’t. Is there a chance you’ve got a bit paranoid about this person who you think is lying?

And was it in lockdown? Or 8 days ago?

Does the supposedly deceased colleague appear online? Have an out of office on?

If I were you I would ask someone senior or HR, straight, and say you are very concerned because X told you in graphic detail that Y was dead, and you want to be able to make your condolences.

If it's rubbish.... frankly I'd raise a grievance. It's totally inappropriate behaviour to you and of course the apparently dead!

Oh, this reminds me of a batshit thread years ago about friends on a night out.
One friend told another that one of their friends had died In an accident and they freaked out because she was alive and well and walking down the road towards them, the freaked out friend thought that the not dead friend was a ghost or summat like that.
Op, I suppose you’ve checked out their FB page if they have one...

Op why dont you just say x has told me y has passed away I cant believe it

JUST ASK THE DEAD COLLEAGUE FFS!

Look on social media, ie friends and family of ‘dead’ friend

@StCharlotte

JUST ASK THE DEAD COLLEAGUE FFS!

It doesn't sound like you were close to this supposedly dead person - so does it really matter? If they are indeed dead, no doubt you'll hear in due course.

If this person really had died then how would your colleague have a graphic description of how they died? How would they be privy to that information?

I would just say straight out who told you John Doe was dead.

What a weirdo person to tell a lie like that! It only makes you look bad if you don't speak up and say who told you that. So don't save their face! Tell the two colleagues why you thought this!

How would they have that information I mean.

It's late .

Just send your boss a message saying this person, give their name, has told me that the silver person has died in the following way. Please can you confirm?

If you have any doubts about the authenticity of what you have been told then don't discuss it with others. If you do then you are possibly announcing it. Unintentionally.

If it is a sick wind-up then you will be in an embarrassing position.

@gingerbits

I could believe this would be maliciously against me. She wants me to say inappropriate things to people to affect my popularity, make me seem to be a liar / unstable / rumour spreader

Pretty high risk way to go about it

Do you have a tinfoil hat and waistcoat?

What if (and I know this is mind blowing) what if...she was told the wrong info just like you have been?

'The silver person'

Yeah, just ring him tbf. If he answers...case closed!

Maybe just ask someone who knows?

Ask a senior manager. Be specific about what you were told and who told you. Say that you spoke to two of the deceased's colleagues in the course of your work and they hadn't heard any new about him/her. Ask the manager is this something that you should be keeping quiet about for the time being, or is the person who told you mistaken or confused. Make sure that you mention the teller's name and that you were told unprompted by you so that you distance yourself from this whether it was a mistake or malicious.

This is the reason I never pass on a thing until I hear it confirmed. Someone told me not so long ago that a colleague (we are self employed and work alone but 'know' each other) had died. I strongly suspect now that the intent was for me to tell people and look like the 'spreader'. Ever since school when I saw a friend get her fingers burnt this way I have not been a sharer of other people's information.

I think you should ask your manager and be specific that "x told me y had died". Then if it's not true, it's clear to them who the misinformation came from.

Here's what you do, OP:

NOTHING. Stop talking about it. Stop fishing for info. Stop making it your business.

If your colleague actually has died, that will become public knowledge soon enough. And if they haven't, you need to stop fanning the flame. In either case, your current course of action should be the same: do nothing.

Just ask your manager ? Say you may have misunderstood a conversation the other day when someone told you X has died and you are now wondering if this is the truth ?