The FBI says that three ransom notes issued in connection with Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance were not genuine. Multiple outlets report that after the FBI reviewed the communications, it concluded the notes sent to media outlets were fake. The notes reportedly included claims such as demands for money and assertions related to Guthrie’s fate, including one note that claimed to have footage of her death. While the FBI’s findings discredit the notes as credible communications, other reporting indicates investigators continue to treat Guthrie’s disappearance as a kidnapping for ransom case rather than closing the matter as a hoax. Some outlets also describe disagreement or pushback around earlier claims about the notes’ legitimacy, but the common thread across coverage is that federal authorities have determined the specific media-distributed ransom notes to be fake. Despite that determination, the investigation remains ongoing, with officials weighing how the disappearance is classified and what evidence is reliable. The FBI’s position, as described in the reports, distinguishes between the notes being fake and the broader case still being investigated as a potential kidnapping-for-ransom scenario.