A Farmingdale school bolstered its security presence Monday after rumors spread of a threat to students, but officials now say the threat was unfounded.

Police say they received reports of social media rumors that two eighth-graders at Howitt Middle School had threatened to harm students, and that one of them had a handgun.

A robocall from the district went out the parents alerting them of the potential threat.

Detectives later determined that the rumors were unsubstantiated hearsay spread on social media.

A parent tells News 12 that the student who was accused of making the threat took to Instagram and wrote, "I never threatened to do any of that... It's ridiculous to be accused and attacked for something I didn't do or say." Other students commented on the thread to say they were scared to come to school because of the rumored threat.

News 12 is told that the student had been suspended, and Monday was supposed to be his first day back at school.

School officials declined to speak on camera, but released a statement that said they alerted police, conducted a thorough investigation and enhanced school security.