Will Smith
Will Smith REUTERS/Mike Blake

American actor Will Smith has once again become the victim of a celebrity death hoax.

According to Travelers Today, Global Associated News published the rumour, claiming that the 45-year-old actor died on 19 January.

The website has developed a reputation for spreading false reports about celebrities' deaths.

The latest hoax suggested that Smith fell from a cliff while performing a stunt during the shooting of his latest movie in New Zealand.

"Actor Will Smith died while filming a movie in New Zealand early this morning - January 19, 2014," the fake report on the website read.

"Preliminary reports from New Zealand Police officials indicate that the actor fell more than 60 feet to his death on the Kauri Cliffs while on-set. Specific details are not yet available. The accident occurred at approximately 4:30 a.m. (UTC/GMT +12)."

However, Smith is fine and is busy is working on his upcoming movie, Focus. He will also be seen on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, slated to air on 17 February on NBC.

In 2010, a Facebook page titled R.I.P Will Smith was created, which garnered more than 4000 "likes."

In October last year, messages on Facebook claimed that Smith had died after undergoing spinal surgery. These posts were part of a scam intended to provoke users to click on the link, which inturn allowed the app to hijack users' accounts.

Previously, Canadian singer Celine Dion had expressed anger over the fake death reports about her circulating online.

"Sometimes it's freaky because I have to call my family about it. I was celebrating the birthday of my twins in Montreal and I was getting these phone calls saying there was stuff on Facebook that I was dead," she told Digital Spy.

"The thing that worries me is my mum. It makes me a little mad - she's 86 years old and if I'm not on the phone telling her I'm OK four seconds after it's on the news... it doesn't matter what they say, it's the impact it has on your family."

The My Heart will Go On singer said such reports make her "stay away from that side of things even more", before adding, "But I'm glad I'm not dead!"