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Hoax Legend Hoax Legend Hoax
Hoaxes and Legends and Viruses
I did not write this, but it is a great lesson. Please read!
1. Big companies don't do business via chain letters and there are no computer programs that track how many times an e-mail is forwarded, let alone by whom. 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.
2. Proctor and Gamble is not part of a satanic cult or scheme, and its logo is not satanic.
3. MTV will not give you backstage passes if you forward something to the most people.
4. The Gap is not giving away free clothes. You can relax; there is no need to pass it on "just in case it's true."
5. 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 National Kidney Foundation. And 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.
6. Neiman Marcus doesn't really sell a $200 cookie recipe. And even if they do, we all have it. And even if you don't, you can get a copy at Neiman Marcus Cookie Recipe. Then, if you make the recipe, decide the cookies are that awesome, feel free to pass the recipe on.
7. If the latest NASA rocket disaster(s) DID contain plutonium that went to particulate over the eastern seaboard, do you REALLY think this information would reach the public via an AOL chain letter?
8. There is no "Good Times" virus. In fact, you should never, ever, ever forward any email containing any virus warning unless you first confirm that an actual site of an actual company that actually deals with viruses. Try Symantec and VMyths.com. And even then, don't forward it. We don't care. And you cannot get a virus from a flashing IM or email, you have to download it....ya know, like, a FILE! (NOTE: If you use MicroSoft Outlook and allow macros, this may not be entirely true...)
9. There is no gang initiation plot to murder any motorist who flashes headlights at another car driving at night without lights.
10. 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. (Think Cut and Paste!) 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.
11. 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.
12. The "Make a Wish" foundation is a real organization doing fine work, but they have had to establish a special toll free hotline 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. Also, the American Cancer Society does NOT give 3 cents for each person you forward e-mail to. They ask for you to donate money, they don't give it, as if they could know how many e-mails you sent out...sheesh.
13. 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 if I ever meet you in a dark alley.
14. Women really are suffering in Afghanistan, but forwarding an e-mail won't help their cause in the least. If you really want to help, contact your local legislative representative, or get in touch with Amnesty International or the Red Cross.
15. 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.
16. KFC really does use real Chickens with feathers and beaks and feet. No, they really do. Why did they change their name? In this health conscious world, what was KFC's name? Kentucky FRIED Chicken. FRIED is not healthy. So with the help of a focus group, they changed the name to KFC. It's short, doesn't offend dieters and it's easy to remember.
17. Another thing, 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.
18. Yes, most tampons do contain rayon. If you are concerned about Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) then change frequently and wash your hands before applying them. No, they don't purposefully put asbestos in tampons but because our societies have been industrial for so long, asbestos, in small amounts, is in the air. Is there enough present in tampons to be a threat? I would worry first about my lungs. If necessary I can live without my cervix.
19. If you are getting e-mail, it means that you are sitting in front of the best source for research. Don't just believe it and pass it on to every e-mail address that you can find. Look it up! You now have access to all the libraries of the world, and at the same time, other legitimate sources of information. Use it!
PS: There is no bill pending before Congress that will allow long distance companies or the Post Office 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 rest room.
Don't automatically believe it until it's proven false... ASSUME it's false, unless there is proof that it's true.
SPAM... Spam is unsolicited emails. Selling stuff. Announcing you've won something. etc. etc. etc. I report these people. It's against just about every email providers' Terms of Service (TOS) and just about every provider has an address to report to (ABUSE@whatever.com). I once reported someone to msn.com because the person in the address line was listed as soandso@msn.com. So I forwarded the ENTIRE email (that's important to do) to ABUSE@msn.com. I received this email which is VERY informative:
"Thank you for your recent e-mail to Abuse@msn.com regarding unsolicited commercial e-mail (“spam”). I appreciate you bringing this issue to our attention.
I reviewed your report, and it appears that the MSN account in the header you forwarded was forged to make it falsely appear to have originated from an MSN account. I have determined this because the header did not contain any MSN IP addresses. Unfortunately, forged headers are one of the most common ploys used by spammers, as it misdirect complaints about spam e-mail to other ISPs. If I can determine where this email originated, I will send an e-mail message to the Abuse Department of that ISP, requesting that the Department take appropriate action against the responsible account.
MSN does not allow its members to send unsolicited spam e-mail to other Internet
users. Most other ISP’s prohibit spam as well. For additional information
and resources regarding spam, go to:
http://supportservices.msn.com/us/.
Under “Get Savvy”, click on "Online Safety”.
Should you come across this issue in the future, below are quick tips to help you determine if an e-mail address has been forged:
You can read the header (IP Address) of an email to determine the ISP from which the email originated. A sample IP Address will look like this:
207.46.181.18
You usually read a header “backward” from the bottom to the top. (*Please note* There are a few e-mail programs that do not follow this rule.) Look for the first line that says, “Received” then start working your way up the header (line by line) until you find the first IP Address. You can then search for this IP Address on http://combat.uxn.com/ by entering it into the “IP Whois” query. This tool will match the IP Address to the originating ISP. You can then send your complaint to the Abuse Department of the ISP identified (abuse@<insert ISP>.com) and include the full, unedited copy of the offending message and its header.
Please feel free to write me back if you need any further assistance!
Again, I appreciate you bringing this issue to our attention.