In the case of the missing Gabby Petito, the authorities are looking for her missing friend in a nature reserve in Florida.
Police and FBI forces combed the Carlton reservation on Saturday.
"There are currently false reports of a body found where we are looking," said North Port Police.
The 23-year-old was last seen by his family on Tuesday.
Why they only reported the young man missing on Friday remained open.
The man had set off on a road trip through the United States with his girlfriend Gabby Petito that summer.
Gabby, 22, did not return.
The authorities have been feverishly looking for her for days.
On September 1, the boyfriend returned home alone, according to the police, ten days later Petito's parents reported their daughter as missing.
Petito's family accused the 23-year-old of hiding.
CNN quoted the Petito family lawyer Richard Stafford as saying that he was not missing.
The case had attracted particular attention because the Florida couple shared numerous pictures and videos from their trip on social networks.
However, there was also a police operation in mid-August because of a possible case of domestic violence.