Officials of Topsail Island are disputing an online story which claims it's a prime location for a shark attack.
The StarNews of Wilmington reports the island appears in an online listing as one of five places in the U.S. where shark encounters are most likely to occur.
Locals say the story posted on Yahoo Travel doesn't have numbers to back up its claim. However, a girl was bitten at North Topsail Beach last month.
Florida's Icthyology Center reports that New Hanover County has had nine shark bites and no deaths since record-keeping began in 1935. Onslow and Carteret counties were next-highest in the state, each reporting eight bites and one death.
Florida had the most U.S. shark attacks in 2010, with 23. North Carolina was second with five.
Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Posted: 05/07/2013 - The North Carolina Attorney General says just requesting information online for a payday loan can put your information and your money at risk.
Updated: 03/12/2013 - Federal officials have helped the family of a Raleigh woman recover $45,000 of the nearly $200,000 that she lost to Jamaican scammers who told her that she had won a lottery prize.
Posted: 01/15/2013 - The N.C. Attorney General's Office says they received more than 600 calls in 2012 about getting telemarketing calls pitching alarm systems.
Updated: 12/14/2012 - Wayne County deputies have charged two men and a woman for scamming people into donating to Toys for Tots and local fire departments.
Updated: 11/15/2012 - A startling message is popping up on computers everywhere claiming to be from the FBI saying your computer is locked and you're under investigation.
Updated: 11/08/2012 - As you get started on your holiday shopping list, online shopping can be a great way to snag a great deal. However, not all internet merchants are created equal, and low prices can blind consumers from spotting counterfeit items.
Posted: 08/23/2012 - With less than three months until the election in November, election-related scams are popping up. Here's one to avoid.
Updated: 08/17/2012 - The Federal Trade Commission wants parents to know that many school forms require personal and sensitive information that, in the wrong hands, could be used to commit fraud in your child's name
Updated: 08/01/2012 - The Pitt County Board of Elections says if a woman claiming to work for the agency knocks on your door, you're asked to call the board.