I agree with MDlevine, rumors do very little and quite possibly make it harder for us to keep up with the belief that Moshiach will come and can come anyday.
This is a true event. A few years back there whren I was doing carpool, there was a kid who was dropped off at the same time my kids were. I noticed that he was wearing a white shirt and being that it wasn’t Rosh Chodesh I asked the kid why he was wearing it (fearing that I had forgotten some important school event). He said with a beaming smile, that today Moshiach was coming and I wanted to wear my very best. Taken aback I asked him how he knew this, and he answered that there were rumors the past week that this was going to be the day and he wanted to be ready.
My heart dropped for this kid, being older and been in similar situations I told the kid that we had to understand that everyday could and should be a day that we could expect Moshiach. However, being that we hope that this will be the day we have to understand there have been many times when the time wasn’t quite right. I didn’t have time for more than that but called the school, gave the Rebbi the heads up hoping that he could help the situaution as well.
The next day (and I was sad that I wasn’t proven wrong) the boy came to school very upset and from the conversation that I had with his father (since I know him somewhat and was concerned) it took him a few days to get over it. The boy doesn’t like to talk about Moshiach now and while he may have over reacted to a rumor, it will take him some time before he can be positive.
Bring Moshiach takes effort. We need to work and work hard to make this a reality. Putting our hopes in rumors and fairy tails is not going to build emunah nor bring Moshiach here any time sooner.