Solve the Story Episode 6: The Truth
The pressure intensifies as Misha struggles with fear, anger and deciding who she can trust.
When Sam traces the doxxing back to The Swerve, a mysterious DM arrives claiming to reveal the truth. But before they can piece it all together, things take a frightening turn. Misha starts receiving calls and messages from strangers.
SAM: Previously on Solve the Story…Your phone number, email and home address all been leaked.
MISHA: Are you kidding? Do you know how much this is upsetting me?
SAM: Where has this account been generated! Got ya! I traced that account. It's coming straight from The Swerve, it's definitely them.
MISHA: So, The Swerve is the PR firm?
AARON: Do you know where they're based?
SAM: Other side of the country.
MISHA: So why are they targeting me? Hang on. There's something here. A DM. It says, “This is who is responsible for the video and the campaign against you.” There's an attachment. I'll open it.
SAM & AARON: Don't! Don't!
(INTRIGUING MUSIC)
(MESSAGE BLEEPS)
SAM: Yeah, it's 100% a scam.
MISHA: How can you tell?
SAM: A few things. First of all, it's from a brand new account.
AARON: Maybe they made it new so that no one can track them?
SAM: Yeah, maybe, but look at the file type on the attachment.
MISHA: Truth.exe. What does that mean?
SAM: It's basically just a programme file. It could be anything: a virus, a bot, something that steals your data. You open that and, “Boom”, the computer's infected. If it was a doc or a photo, it'd be a PDF or a JPEG.
MISHA: But it's not worth the risk.
SAM: Look at the metadata on that. Definitely a scam.
AARON: Oh, yeah! The metadata; I was going to say that. What was that again?
SAM: Look at all this here. 100% a scam.
AARON: Wow, they are getting desperate.
SAM: They don't seem like a very nice company. Who'd want to work for them?
AARON: Right?
MISHA: Hang on, there must be people that used to work there but don't anymore. What if we could find one of them who'd talk to us? Maybe then we could get more info.
AARON: Great idea. I'll start searching.
SAM: We're so close to finding out the truth.
There was the original viral video that was then picked up by the American Channel.
This led us to The Swerve's website. The Swerve is a PR firm who are being paid by someone to run the campaign against Misha and the skate park.
And they've really ramped up their attacks with the docs and the scam DMs.
But who's behind it all? We're so nearly there.
AARON: My dad told me about this job site that people put their CVs and work history on. We should be able to find someone who works for The Swerve on here.
SAM: Have a look. I've drafted a message for anyone we think might be able to help.
MISHA: Yeah, send it over.
AARON: Whoa. Looks like people don't stick around at The Swerve for very long.
MISHA: We need to find someone that's recently left.
AARON: Here we go. There's a few that might work.
SAM: This is a great idea. Can you take a look at the five people who used to work at The Swerve?
Who do you think can help us? We need to look at when they left the company, what their jobs were and how long they were there.
We need to find someone who will talk to us, that knows who the client behind the campaign might be.
(SKATEBOARD SCRAPING OVER FUNKY MUSIC)
AARON: I got a response! It worked!
MISHA: Who is it?
AARON: The lady that we messaged that left a few weeks ago…she wants us to call her.
MISHA: How do we know it's not another scam?
SAM: No, no, because if we call them, then we're in charge. We can turn our camera off, hide our phone number when we find this dude.
(PHONE RINGING)
CALLER: Hello? Is anyone there?
MISHA: We're here. Just a little nervous.
CALLER: Look, I really want to help, but I've got to be careful. I saw your video and I totally get what you're going through. I was in some of the meetings when this stuff came up. I'm really sorry.
MISHA: What do you mean?
CALLER: I didn't think they'd stoop this low and attack someone young like you.
MISHA: So, you know who's behind all this?
CALLER: Yeah, I think I do. They're called Land Investment Estates.
(DRAMATIC FUNKY MUSIC)
AARON: Okay, so we're about to go live. We sent the link to all our friends and followers. I also messaged community group, which probably means The Swerve and whoever hired them might know.
So, just a heads up, they could show up and cause a stir. But this is the only way to get the truth out there.
SAM: Alright, you ready, Mish?
MISHA: Here goes nothing.
Hi everyone, I'm Misha, the supposed bully of the skate park. I'll get into that lie in a minute.
First, I just want to say how much I love this park. I come here all the time to skate. The past few days have been pretty rough for me, but with the help of my friends, I've been trying to figure out who's behind the deep fake, the thousands of comments and the leak in my personal info.
AARON: We figured out pretty quickly that the video was fake. After hours digging through all the comments and the hate, it led us to a PR company.
MISHA: This company was being paid to run a campaign against me, except it wasn't against me, it was against the skate park.
AARON: We spoke to several people who work there and they gave us statementsexplaining they've been asked to discredit the skate park.
MISHA: And the reason for this is so that someone can shut the skate park down, to get the land on the cheap, to build houses and flats, and other buildings.
SAM: The whole campaign was designed to turn people against the skate park and Misha, so there wouldn't be no public pushback when the land got sold.
MISHA: So I faced online abuse, had my details leaked, and even had scams target me.
Because of this, my parents have had to contact the police. This is serious. And since the investigation is ongoing, we can't reveal exactly who is behind it just yet.But as soon as we can, we will, because you deserve to know the truth.
For now, we're going to open it up to you. So, get involved. Drop a comment.
(SOFT, HOPEFUL MUSIC)
SAM: The clues were there all along, staring us right in the face.
First, Land Investment Estates were one of the first accounts to comment on the original video.Then it turns out they were one of the main sponsors of the NYC Gossip Influencer channel.
They were even hidden in the source code of The Swerve website. And they're the same company that's been buying and selling land all over the local area.
We totally missed the flyer in the skate park and the sold sign on Meesha's Road.
Did you spot any of the clues?
Who would have guessed a property company desperate to buy up the landand build for profit was behind such a nasty video?
So, that went well.
MISHA: Yeah. Feels good to finally get the truth out.
AARON: And save the skate park too. You're seriously brave, Misha. If I were in your position, I don't know if I could have kept it together like you did.
MISHA: Kept it together!? Are you sure? Another unknown number.
SAM: Go on, give it here, I'll take this one. You've had enough, haven't you?
Hello? Who's this?
AARON: Just hang up. Let's go.
SAM: Mish, wait. It's the BBC.
AARON: What?
MISHA: Hello? Yeah. I think it's time everyone knows the truth.
SAM: This is awesome. The news have picked up the story and they want to go public.
We've solved the story, but now you have to write it up in a way that makes sense.
Your final challenge is to watch the “How to argue using evidence and facts” video on the Other Side of the Story website and use those skills to write a balanced report or make a video about what happened to Misha.
Thanks for helping us out along the way.
Together, we figured out how to do reverse image searches, spot bots, recognise bias, see the code behind the website and avoid scams. And there's loads more for you to learn and do on the Other Side of the Story website.
Thanks again and see you soon.
(SOFT MUSIC)
Episode takeaways
In this episode, you will:
- Understand what doxxing is and why it’s dangerous
- Recognise how personal data can be leaked online
- Spot warning signs of scams, unsafe links, and suspicious DMs
Key points to think about:
- Why is doxxing more serious than online comments or rumours?
- How can fear and anger affect decision-making online?
- What should you do if your personal information is shared without consent?
How to: Argue using evidence and facts
Misinformation and disinformation spread fast - especially on social media.
Misinformation is false information shared by someone who believes it’s true. Disinformation is created and shared on purpose to mislead.
In this video, you’ll learn a simple two-step method for challenging false claims without making the situation worse.
JAMES: How to argue using evidence and facts.
Misinformation: when false information and fake news is shared by someone who thinks it's true…
And disinformation: fake news that's created and spread deliberately, spreads fast.
The best way to counter a false claim is with calm, clear, verifiable facts.
Here's a simple two-step approach.
First, identify the false claim clearly.
Don't get sidetracked by other arguments.
Pinpointing the specific lie stops the other person from changing the subject or trying to twist your words later on.
Next, counter with solid evidence. Use verifiable facts, official statistics, quotes from reliable news sources, or links to trustworthy references.
Citing your sources demonstrates to others that your response is well researched and credible.
By calmly showing a chain of evidence where each fact supports the next, you make a strong, convincing reply.
It shows you're not just picking one point. All the proof is on your side.
The key is to rely on evidence, not emotion, and avoid escalating online arguments.
A simple two-step approach:
- Identify the false claim clearly
- Respond with solid evidence
The most effective responses rely on evidence, not emotion. Staying calm and factual helps prevent arguments from escalating and makes it easier for others to see the truth.
Classroom Film: Protecting yourself from online scams
Our online world is full of opportunities but also risks. Scammers use clever tricks to target emotions, create urgency, and get people to click links or share personal information. Knowing how to spot these scams is a key skill for staying safe online.
This film helps students recognise common online scams, including fake messages, suspicious links, and emotional manipulation.
Watch this video to help your students understand the red flags of online scams and how to protect themselves in the digital world.
You can find more teacher notes and classroom resources on our Bitesize for Teachers Solve the Story page.
If you need support
You should always tell someone about the things you’re worried about. You can tell a friend, parent, guardian, teacher, or another trusted adult. If you're struggling with your mental health, going to your GP can be a good place to start to find help. Your GP can let you know what support is available to you, suggest different types of treatment and offer regular check-ups to see how you’re doing.
If you’re in need of in-the-moment support you can contact Childline, where you can speak to a counsellor. Their lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
There are more links to helpful organisations on the BBC Bitesize Action Line page for young people.
