A false messiah is a person that falsely claims or others falsely claim to be the Jewish Messiah. Whether or not a particular individual is a false messiah may be a matter of fundamental disagreement. Indeed, at least one religion has been founded around a person believed by his followers to be the Jewish Messiah.

In the religion of Stregheria, Jesus is believed to have been a false messiah that appeared before Aradia came to free the poor and oppressed from the fetters of Christianity.

See also

• Jewish eschatology
• List of messiah claimants