The following useful tips were sent on a list. I can't claim credit but you may find it very useful when responding to e-mail hoaxes (a.k.a. urban legends).
What's a Fact?
- Big companies don't do business via chain letters. Bill Gates is not giving you $1000, and Disney is not giving you a free vacation. There is no baby food company issuing class-action checks. Procter and Gamble is not part of a satanic cult or scheme, and its logo is not satanic. MTV will not give you backstage passes if you forward something to the most people. You can relax; there is no need to pass it on "just in case it's true". Furthermore, just because someone said in a message, four generations back that, "we checked it out and it's legit", does not actually make it true.
- There is no kidney theft ring in New Orleans. No one is waking up in a bathtub full of ice, even if a friend of a friend swears it happened to their cousin. If you are hell-bent on believing the kidney-theft ring stories, see http://urbanlegends.tqn.com/library/weekly/aa062997.htm. I quote "The National Kidney Foundation has repeatedly issued requests for actual victims of organ thieves to come forward and tell their stories. None have." (That's "none" as in "zero"). Not even your friend's cousin responded.
- Neiman Marcus doesn't really sell a $200 cookie recipe. And even if they did, we all have it. Even if you don't have it, you can get a copy at http://www.bl.net/forwards/cookie.html. Then, if you make the recipe, decide the cookies are that awesome, feel free to pass the recipe on. Has anyone ever tried making this recipe? Did you ever notice there are practically NO liquid ingredients? You'd need a cement mixer to stir it. I'm curious, has anyone actually made these cookies?
- If the latest NASA rocket disaster's DID contain plutonium that went into particulate over the eastern seaboard, do you REALLY think this information would reach the public via an AOL chain letter?
- There is no "Good Times" virus. In fact, you should never, ever, ever forward any e-mail containing any virus warning unless you first confirm that an actual site ,of an actual company, that actually deals with viruses confirms it. Try http://www.norton.com and even then, don't forward it. We don't care. You cannot get a virus from a flashing IM, you have to cooperate somewhat with the culprit (as in hitting a few keys yourself, allowing your e-mail client to execute macros, or downloading, like, a FILE!
- There is no gang initiation plot to murder any motorist who flashes headlights at another car driving at night without lights.
- If you're using Outlook, IE, or Netscape to write e-mail, turn off the "HTML encoding." Those of us on Unix shells can't read it, and don't care enough to save the attachment and then view it with a web browser since you're probably forwarding us a copy of the Neiman Marcus Cookie Recipe anyway.
- If you still absolutely MUST forward that 10th-generation message from a friend, at least have the decency to trim the eight miles of headers showing everyone else who's received it over the last 6 months. It sure wouldn't hurt to get rid of all the ">" that begin each line either. Besides, if it has gone around that many times we've probably already seen it.
- Craig Shergold (or Sherwood, or Sherman, etc.) in England is not dying of cancer or anything else at this time and would like everyone to stop sending him their business cards. He apparently is no longer a "little boy" either.
- The "Make a Wish" foundation is a real organization doing fine work, but they have had to establish a special toll free hot line in response to the large number of Internet hoaxes using their good name and reputation. It is distracting them from the important work they do.
- If you are one of those insufferable idiots who forwards anything that "promises" something bad will happen if you "don't", then something bad will happen to you in a dark alley.
- Women really are suffering in Afghanistan, and PBS and NEA funding are still vulnerable to attack (although not at the present time) but forwarding an e-mail won't help either cause in the least. If you want to help, contact your local legislative representative, or get in touch with Amnesty International or the Red Cross. As a general rule, e-mail "signatures" are easily faked and mean nothing to anyone with any power to do anything about whatever the competition is complaining about. (P.S. There is no bill pending before the U.S. Congress that will allow long distance companies to charge you for using the Internet.)
Bottom Line...
- Composing e-mail or posting something on the Net is as easy as writing on the walls of a public restroom. Don't automatically believe it until it's proven false... ASSUME it's false, unless there is proof that it's true.
- Do NOT forward this message.
- Gently refer anyone to this list if their behavior warrants.
Keep On Smiling!