.. they were posting IB numbers, not total shares available to short on all brokerage firms.
So, no- they were not making up those numbers. It was the amount of shares avail. to short on Interactive Brokers.
--
However, when someone posts something, do not blindly believe their statement. Follow up with their sources and confirm it for yourself.
Each of my posts include a link to my source, or explains how I came to such conclusion. It is good habit to verify all information for yourself: regardless of the author.