10 Hilarious Excuses Firms Once Gave to Cover Up Their Bad Deeds

Big corporations often hire expensive PR firms, crisis managers, and legal teams to clean up their messes. But sometimes, the excuses they cook up are so laughably bad they only make things worse. Whether it’s blaming hackers, the weather, or even the consumers themselves, these companies tried to dodge accountability in the most ridiculous ways imaginable.

These aren’t just minor slipups—these are full-blown corporate cover-ups that went hilariously off the rails. From sabotaged chocolate bars to vanishing vehicles in a virtual city, here are ten of the most absurd excuses companies have ever made to explain away their scandals.

Related: Top 10 Failed Products From Famous Companies

10 Amy’s Baking Company Blames Hackers for Their Own Meltdown

Scottsdale, Arizona’s most infamous bakery made a meal out of a PR disaster.

Amy’s Baking Company gained viral notoriety after their disastrous appearance on Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares in 2013. But the real chaos started online when the owners, Amy and Samy Bouzaglo, went nuclear on social media. After receiving a wave of negative Yelp reviews, the couple responded by posting unhinged rants, insulting customers, and even threatening legal action against critics. The internet, predictably, went wild.

Once the dust settled and the backlash intensified, the bakery suddenly changed its tune. In an almost comical pivot, they claimed their social media accounts had been hacked. Not only that—they also insisted they were working with the FBI to catch the culprits. Few believed them, especially since their online behavior mirrored their on-camera antics. If the hackers existed, they apparently had access to the exact same unfiltered rage as the real owners.^[1]

9 Venezuela’s Power Company Blames Sabotage Instead of Corruption

Lights out—and the truth, too.

In 2019, much of Venezuela was plunged into darkness during a series of massive blackouts. Millions of people lost access to electricity, water, internet, and even hospital care for days at a time. Rather than owning up to the failures of the state-run power company Corpoelec, government officials pointed fingers at—wait for it—sabotage. The story went that malicious actors, possibly foreign, had attacked the grid.

But the real culprit wasn’t shadowy saboteurs. It was decades of corruption and mismanagement. Investigations revealed that over $100 billion earmarked for the country’s power infrastructure had been looted, with over 80% of the funds missing. Experts pointed out that poor maintenance and a lack of investment had left the grid vulnerable. But instead of accepting responsibility, officials spun a Cold War-style narrative that fooled no one.^[2]

8 Cadbury Claims Its Smaller Bars Are Actually Bigger

When marketing meets math denial.

Shrinkflation is nothing new—companies quietly reduce product sizes while keeping prices the same or even raising them. In 2023, this economic sleight-of-hand hit hard as brands like Nestlé, Kellogg’s, and Cadbury shrunk their product lines while inflation soared. But Cadbury tried to pull off a particularly brazen trick.

At the same time that customers noticed their chocolate bars were mysteriously slimmer, Cadbury launched an ad campaign claiming the treats were actually “bigger.” The cognitive dissonance was real. While Cadbury might have been banking on new shapes or packaging, consumers weren’t fooled. The stunt came off less like clever branding and more like gaslighting-by-marketing, and it backfired spectacularly.^[3]

7 Tesla Blames European Regulators for Self-Driving Failures

Autopilot may need more than just regulatory approval.

Tesla’s dream of autonomous driving has hit plenty of bumps in the road, especially in Europe. CEO Elon Musk has long promoted the promise of Full Self-Driving (FSD). While U.S. roads see limited use of the tech, European regulators have been more cautious—and for a good reason. Tesla’s autopilot system has been linked to at least 13 fatal crashes and countless other incidents, prompting safety concerns across the board.

Still, Tesla has deflected criticism by blaming European regulators for being too slow, restrictive, or lacking “vision.” However, critics argue that Tesla should clean up its own actions before pointing fingers. After all, the company has the highest accident rate among major automakers, even when accounting for both human and automated control. Maybe the problem isn’t Europe—it’s the car that can’t quite drive itself.^[4]

6 Optus Blames a “Third Party” for Network Collapse—It Was Their Parent Company

Blaming the middleman… who’s actually the boss.

In November 2023, millions of Australians and Canadians were cut off from mobile service for over 10 hours in one of the worst outages in recent history. Emergency services, hospitals, rail networks, and small businesses all suffered. When Optus finally issued a statement, they blamed an unnamed “third party” for the disruption, hoping that vague terminology would satisfy angry customers.

However, investigations revealed a hilarious twist: the “third party” was Singtel, Optus’s own parent company. In other words, Optus blamed the family for a mess in their own house. The excuse wasn’t just weak—it was insulting to the intelligence of 12 million affected users. If you’re going to pass the buck, make sure the trail doesn’t lead straight to your own doorstep.^[5]

5 Texas Blames Frozen Wind Turbines for 2021 Power Crisis

When in doubt, blame the breeze.

In February 2021, a brutal winter storm left over 4.5 million Texans without power. Roads were impassable, water pipes burst, and hundreds died from exposure or related causes. Instead of facing the reality—that Texas had failed to winterize its energy infrastructure—Governor Greg Abbott pointed fingers at frozen wind turbines.

The truth? The wind made up only a fraction of Texas’s power loss. Natural gas, which provides the bulk of the state’s electricity, had frozen due to inadequate preparation. Despite multiple federal warnings over the years, Texas chose independence over integration with the national power grid. So when the storm came, the state’s refusal to modernize its systems turned deadly. But rather than admit failure, leaders opted to throw renewable energy under the bus.^[6]

4 Apple Says It Slows Down Old iPhones to “Protect” Users

Nothing like helping customers… by secretly hobbling their phones.

For years, iPhone users suspected something fishy. As soon as a new model was released, their old devices would suddenly become sluggish. Apple denied everything—until it couldn’t anymore. In 2017, after tech enthusiasts presented hard evidence, Apple finally admitted it had intentionally slowed older iPhones.

The company insisted it wasn’t to push users into upgrading but rather to “prevent unexpected shutdowns.” That noble spin didn’t sit well with customers, especially since Apple failed to communicate the policy. The backlash was swift, culminating in a $27 million fine from France’s competition watchdog. If your phone’s getting slower, maybe it’s not just your imagination—or your fault.^[7]

3 Thalidomide Maker Blamed Birth Defects on “Nuclear Fallout”

Science fiction meets corporate negligence.

Thalidomide was marketed in the late 1950s as a wonder drug for nausea during pregnancy. What doctors and patients didn’t know was that it was a teratogen—a chemical that causes severe birth defects. Over 10,000 babies across dozens of countries were born with malformed limbs, missing organs, or worse. The scandal remains one of the darkest chapters in pharmaceutical history.

And yet, for years, the company behind the drug refused to take the blame. Instead, they pushed bizarre theories, including that the defects were caused by “nuclear fallout” or botched abortions. These outrageous excuses delayed justice for victims and undermined public trust in medicine. Eventually, the truth came out—but not before thousands paid the price for the company’s denial.^[8]

2 Powerball Doubles the Price, Then Claims It’s What People Wanted

Pay more, win less—thank us later.

Once upon a time, a Powerball ticket cost just $1. But in 2015, the lottery doubled the price to $2 and simultaneously made it harder to win. The odds of hitting the jackpot skyrocketed to 1 in 292 million. Essentially, players were paying more for a lower chance of success.

When critics questioned the change, Powerball’s defense was laughable: They were simply giving people “what they wanted.” Apparently, people wanted to lose more often and pay more for the privilege. The move may have led to bigger jackpots, but it also led to massive public backlash. In trying to spin a cash grab as customer service, Powerball’s PR team revealed just how tone-deaf corporate messaging can get.^[9]

1 Rockstar Removes 200 Vehicles from GTA Online to “Improve Experience”

When less content is somehow more fun.

For fans of Grand Theft Auto Online, the thrill comes from driving an ever-expanding collection of flashy, outrageous, and sometimes ridiculous vehicles. But in 2023, Rockstar Games quietly removed nearly 200 vehicles from the game. Their justification? To “streamline” the player experience.

Gamers weren’t buying it. Many believed the move was a lazy way to cover up technical limitations or staff shortages, especially as Rockstar had been losing top developers to rival companies. Rather than admit they couldn’t keep up with the game’s massive content demands, Rockstar framed the content reduction as a benefit. In a game where stealing cars is literally the name of the franchise, taking cars away felt like digital robbery. ^[10]