Debunking the Fatima hoax

I regularly get questions about the so-called “Fatima apparitions” which have recently become popular again in Latin circles.  While the first time around the intention of this hoax was clearly to use the 1917 chaos in Russia to the benefit of the Papacy’s influence (you can read about this disgraceful episode here), the current re-activation of the hoax appears to aim to somehow piggyback the Latin Church unto the current