Misleading rumour, hoax (6)
I believe the answer is:
canard
This clue is a double definition.
'misleading rumour' is the first definition.
(I've seen this before)
'hoax' is the second definition.
(I know that canard is a type of hoax)
(Other definitions for canard that I've seen before include "Ugly rumour" , "False rumour or story, from France" , "Deliberately misleading fabrication" , "A French kind of false rumour" , "False rumour, originally from France" .)