Stop spreading wild rumors, people. We’ve been hearing about the Verizon iPhone for over two years and, despite all the “confirmations” we’ve heard over that time period, there still is NO Verizon iPhone.

Yet still people, even respectable news outlets like the Wall Street Journal, spread bogus reports based on hearsay and “leaked” photos from “unnamed sources.”

The latest rumor is that the Verizon iPhone 4 will be coming out on February 3rd, 2011, and that Verizon will be announcing it on Tuesday. What’s the basis? Two things:

1. There is a “rumor” from “unnamed sources” that Verizon employees have been told they cannot take a vacation between February 3rd-6th. The implication is that there’d be a major launch of a product during that time period. However, this is a rumor, and ANY major product could be launched during that time period. Hell, they could just be starting employee training on how to stop spreading stupid lies about the Verizon iPhone. And the “unnamed source” could be a homeless guy named Jim.

2. Verizon has sent an invitation to various bloggers and media outlets to a press conference in New York City on January 11th. What does this mean? Nothing. They could be announcing 5G, or the first Wi-Fi service on the moon, or anything. The invitation says “Join us as we share the latest news from Verizon Wireless.” The news could be that a new CEO is being hired, or anything internal or financial.

It’s bad enough that if someone jokes on Twitter that a D-list celebrity from 1993 has died, everyone believes it and spreads it until said celebrity, who hasn’t done anything famous or noteworthy in 15 years, has to make a statement saying they’re still alive. How embarrassing.

So, please – stop posting “confirmations” based on sources and rumors.

I’ll believe the Verizon iPhone is coming when a) Verizon or Apple themselves actually announce it, and b) when it’s actually in a freakin’ store. Until then, I’ll just enjoy my AT&T iPhone.