“Emma Watson dies on scene of fatal car collision” reads the headline of a typical report of the kind that started to circulate just a couple of hours ago. They all claim that either the “Harry Potter” star got into a collision that cost her her life after getting behind the wheel drunk or that she was hit by another car and passed away on the scene. All such reports are bogus, Sophos informs.

The “Emma Watson is dead” reports started to circulate a few hours ago and are slowly taking over the Internet. Luckily, they are only part of a hoax, as the young and popular star is actually at home, safe and sound, as her publicist confirms for the media. Sophos also warns not clicking on “news” items that bear this heading or a similar one, since whoever is putting them out there might be doing so with malicious intent.

“On July 24, 2009, Watson was en route to her mansion in Oxfordshire, England. Police footage captured her driving with speeds up to 80 miles per hour on very narrow roads. Oxfordshire paramedics received a 999 call at 12:22 p.m. (GMT), about an sportcar having crashed into a wall at a petrol station. At this point it was still unknown that the victim was indeed Emma Watson. Three minutes after the call got through, paramedics arrived at Watson’s location. She was reportedly not breathing and the car was total loss. After 5 minutes the Oxfordshire Fire Department managed to get Watson out of her car. Resuscitation efforts continued en route to the Oxfordshire’s Medical Center, and for an hour after arriving there at 1:45 p.m. (GMT). She was pronounced dead at 2:10 p.m. (GMT).” reads one version of the story, as per Sophos.

Another version claims that Watson’s car was hit by a speeding vehicle, which practically left the car she was in a complete mess and useless pile of metal. Two men were seen fleeing the scene, presumably who were in the colliding car, and are now being chased by police for questioning and possibly arrest, the report further says. One man is Caucasian while the other is Hispanic, reads the faux news item, and anyone with information on them should immediately alert the authorities.

“Emma Watson, known around the world for her portrayal of teenage brainbox Hermione Granger in the ‘Harry Potter’ movies, has become the unwitting star of an internet hoax that is being spread rapidly across the internet. Sadly a lot of people seem to be forwarding or reposting the ‘news,’ without checking a credible news site. Don’t you think that if it was true it would be on the front page of BBC News Online? I would recommend you avoid clicking on links to ‘news’ stories about Emma Watson’s death, as it is possible whoever is behind this hoax has malicious intent.” Graham Cluley of Sophos warns.