Troy Ave, Chef Geoff Cole Faked 'Shootout' for IG Clout

Troy Ave's going from hero to zero ... 'cause it turns out he did NOT stand up to an armed robber -- instead, he and his buddy staged a shootout for social media clout.

Here's the deal ... Troy's pal, chef Geoff Cole, posted a wild video Tuesday purportedly showing a gunman sneaking up on both of them outside Geoff's San Diego area home, only to have Troy whip out his own handgun and fire on the supposed assailant.

Well, sources who've been in direct contact with the bogus bad boys have confirmed the whole scene was fake. No one actually attempted to rob Geoff, and we're told Troy did not actually fire any live rounds.

That lines up with what law enforcement told us, too ... cops in San Diego County told us they had no reports of a shooting or attempted robbery involving Troy or Geoff.

What remains unclear is why the less-than-dynamic duo decided to try their hands at acting. Some cynical fans were sus in the comments, and theorized Geoff and Troy were just promoting the song that was bumping in Geoff's car.

We've made repeated calls to Geoff, but -- not shockingly -- he's not picking up.