Don't Get Hoaxed - Stopping Internet
Hoaxes
by Robyn Harton
http://rahcreative.com
If you've been using the internet for any length of
time, you've probably run across an email internet hoax
or chain letter. Email hoaxes and chain letters are
often cloaked in respectability or tug at your heartstrings.
So how do you tell if the email you just got is a hoax?
And once you find out, what do you do about it?
First off, there is a way to tell if what you've received
is a hoax. Just look it up. The US Department of Energy
Internet hoaxbuster's website at http://hoaxbusters.ciac.org/
is a good place to start. Other useful sites with information
on urban legends and hoaxes are: About.com Urban Legend
Page http://urbanlegends.about.com, Urband Legends Reference
Pages http://www.snopes.com, and Urban Legends Home
page http://www.urbanlegends.com.
Second, you might want to reply to the sender and let
the person who sent it know that it's a hoax. A polite,
friendly email is the best way to do that. The one I
send says, "Hiya! Unfortunately The US Department
of Energy Internet Hoaxbuster's website says that this
email you've forwarded is a hoax. I know you sent the
email out of concern, but please check one of the following
sites before forwarding these types of warnings. They
clog up email boxes and scare people needlessly,"
and I go on to give them the urls above. Feel free to
use my email and links if you want.
A little knowledge can help stop hoax chain letters
from clogging up email boxes and worrying people...
including yours and you.
