George Clooney is the latest Hollywood A-lister to feel the wrath of Internet pranksters - after online hoaxers spread rumours he had died.

The Oscar-winning hunk is one of many stars forced to deny their own deaths, following a surge of celebrity demise stories since the real passings of Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson last week.

Jeff Goldblum was the first victim of morbid pranksters after a sick online stunt insisted he had fallen to his death while filming in New Zealand - just hours after the news of Jackson's fatal cardiac arrest broke around the world.

Britney Spears' representatives also had to confirm the singer was alive and well after a hacker broke into her Twitter.com account and sent a message to her two million followers claiming she had died.

Now, Internet pranksters are taking aim at George Clooney.

The actor's publicist Stan Rosenfield was bewildered when hordes of reporters rang to ask if Clooney had passed away - but the rep insists there is no truth to the sick rumours.

Rosenfield adds a host of Clooney's pals have been left upset and shaken by the erroneous claims.