You long ago stopped pummeling everyone on your contact list with daily jokes and pictures of good-luck angels. But do you ever find yourself forwarding certain mass-circulated emails -- "just in case" their watch-yourself warnings, free-stuff offers or pleas for help turn out to be legit? If this sounds like you (or someone you know), the time has come to hit "delete." Here's where to start:
1. 'Wal-mart gang initiation' email
THE EMAIL: If you live anywhere near a Wal-Mart, you've probably received at least one frantic email from a well-meaning (but misinformed) relative or friend within the last week, begging you not to shop there until further notice. That's because -- according to said email -- "police have confirmed" that as part of a gang initiation rite, "three women and children will be shot in the Wal-Mart parking lot tonight. This is not a joke, pls forward."
THE FACTS: Though this rumor has been circulating via email since about 2005, it (fortunately) has yet to become a reality. Nowhere in the country, in fact, have police "confirmed" that innocent women and children were being targeted by gangs in Wal-Mart parking lots. If you're still not convinced, however, it's safe to say that Target would welcome your business until Wal-Mart handles its alleged riff-raff issue.
2. 'Cookie and Coco need a home!' email
THE EMAIL: "Help ... Loving home needed!" So begins this heart-breaking call-to-action, an email plea that's driven the nation's dog-lovers to tears for the past several months. As the note not-so-eloquently explains, "This family has lost their home and the new apartment does not allow dogs. They are looking for a home for their two Labs, Cookie and Coco." In closing, the email's author asks that everyone who receives this call for help forward it to everyone they know -- along with "prayers that these two beautiful dogs can stay together."
THE FACTS: This was a legitimate request for aid -- four months ago. Originally posted on the South Bay Pets website (along with photos of the adorable pups), the plight of Cookie and Coco -- left potentially homeless when their family's house was foreclosed upon -- hit a nerve with animal enthusiasts from Arizona to New York. And though the SoCal Labrador Retriever Rescue has already placed both dogs in a happy new home, the email continues to circulate like a bad case of fleas.
3. 'Dial #77 on your cell phone' email
THE EMAIL: This rampantly running Web warning tells the frightening tale of a "female college student" (often identified as "Lauren"), pulled over by an unmarked vehicle she assumes is an undercover police officer -- on a secluded road, late at night, for no reason she can fathom. As it happens, the person in the unmarked vehicle turns out to be not a cop, but a would-be rapist. Clever "Lauren," though, was a step ahead; she was rescued by a real policeman in the nick of time. How? Though "it's not widely known," dialing #77 (or *77) on your cell phone immediately summons the police.
THE FACTS: From its opening sentence, this one screams to have you hooked: "This is an actual true story and not one of those Internet stories that are passed on and on!" That may well be, but as of today, no one has been able to verify it. While its message is sound -- be suspicious of unmarked vehicles attempting to pull you over in the middle of nowhere, at night -- dialing #77/*77 will not work in every state. Be safe and dial 911 instead.
4. 'Simon Ashton is a hacker' email
THE EMAIL: As if the threat of real computer viruses isn't enough, this brief-but-irritating message in your inbox warns that simply by accepting an email from a certain Simon Ashton (simon_25_@hotmail.co.uk) will allow him full access to hack your email account, as well as the accounts of everyone on your contact list. The only way to protect your files, it's said, is to delete his email as soon as it appears.
THE FACTS: We all get the occasional email from someone we don't know, and if for some reason we provide that someone with our personal information, he or she could use it to wreak havoc on our accounts. Just receiving a mysterious message in your inbox, however, isn't going to make that happen: Some sort of information exchange or file transfer would likely be necessary. Additionally, there are currently no references to a hacker named "Simon Ashton" in any legitimate Internet security database. Still, while this scam is little more than a waste of time, consider it a reminder to always keep your antivirus software up to date -- and don't be all click-happy when opening attachments.
5. 'Free laptop for your child!' email
THE EMAIL: You may not own an Ericsson-brand cell phone, but the company will gladly give you (or your child) a free laptop computer. Why? And how? According to the email, Ericsson "hopes to increase its popularity" in the mobile space; all you need to do is forward its email to 8 people of your choice. (And cc Ericsson employee anna.swelung@ericsson.com, too.) If you do, within two weeks you'll receive an EricssonT18. If you send the email to 20 or more people, you'll receieve an Ericsson R320. What could be easier?
THE FACTS: It's hard to resist the promise of a free PC, which is why close variations of this email have been circulating for more than eight years. But a quick Web search reveals that T18s and R320s are cell phones, not laptops. (How would a cell-phone company "increase its popularity" by dabbling in laptop giveaways, anyway?) And -- perhaps needless to say -- no Ericsson employee answers to Anna Swelung's email address.
6. 'Operation Yellow Jacket' email
THE EMAIL: This widespread warning asserts that police in states including Michigan, Oregon, California, South Carolina, New Jersey and Texas (among others) are conducting a month-long "speeding ticket frenzy" during which troopers pose as Department of Transportation workers to catch traffic violators in the act. Code-named "Operation Yellow Jacket," the sneaky scheme consists of trooper-driven DOT trucks either idling roadside or appearing from nowhere behind speeding drivers. And here's the clincher: The trucks are said to have specially souped-up engines that can catapult them from "snow-plow speed to intercept speed" in mere seconds. When the special engines kick in, the trucks' lights automatically change from flashing DOT yellow "to the dreaded red and blue!"
THE FACTS: While it's true that DOT-police public-safety initiatives called "Operation Yellow Jacket" have been undertaken in several states -- notably, Pennsylvania -- they don't involve James Bond trucks that go from "snow-plow to intercept" in a matter of seconds. (Your tax dollars at work!) More to the point, police officials insist this is an email hoax, and that no such efforts are underway.
7. 'Plastic water bottles cause cancer' email
THE EMAIL: If you're one to reuse and recycle without a second thought, reading this seemingly authentic email-opener is bound to feel unsettling: "Many are unaware of poisoning caused by reusing plastic bottles." According to the message, disposable water bottles are often made of a plastic that "contains a potentially carcinogenic element," called diethylhydroxylamine (DEHA). The warning claims if the bottles are used for more than a few days, this plastic will begin to break down and its cancer-causing chemicals "will leach into the water that YOU are drinking."
THE FACTS: Could this be some diabolical scare tactic devised by the folks at Thermos? Unlikely, and in any case, it's just not true. There's zero scientific evidence that reusing plastic water bottles causes cancer; DEHA isn't even considered to be a human health risk, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer. (Do thoroughly rinse and dry your plastic bottles every now and again, though: They can get kind of nasty after a couple of weeks in your gym bag.)
8. 'Reverse your ATM PIN in an emergency' email
THE EMAIL: Here's another that may sound familiar: Should you ever be forced to withdraw money from an ATM against your will (these days, who hasn't?), you can silently alert the police by entering your PIN in reverse. While the ATM will give you the requested cash, it will also immediately summon the authorities to come to your aid. According to the email, this is "very seldom used because people don't know about it. But it can mean the difference between life and death!"
THE FACTS: It's true there's been talk of this technology for years: A police-alerting "SafetyPIN System" was developed in the '90s by Chicago businessman Joseph Zingher, and "ATM panic code" bills have been introduced in a number of states since then. As of today, however, this is still an email-string pipe dream. Should you fall prey to a robber while making an ATM transaction, you'd be better off blowing a really loud whistle than fumbling around with a backward PIN.
9. 'Burundanga-soaked business card' email
THE EMAIL: If your loved ones lean toward fear-mongering, they've probably been considerate enough to send you an email alerting that "last Wednesday, Jamie Hernandez's neighbor" -- a young woman, of course -- was at a gas station when a man offered his services as a painter and presented his business card. The young woman thanked him, took the card, and got in her car to leave. But before she could drive more than a mile or two, she started to feel dizzy and couldn't catch her breath. It was then she noticed the card's strong odor -- and realized the man was following her! Fortunately, she was just around the corner from a friend's house, where she stopped to call the police. The authorities arrived quickly and apprehended the man. It turned out he was a wanted rapist -- and the previous victims of his burundanga-soaked card scheme had not been so lucky.
THE FACTS: My aunt sent me this one as a "warning," but was -- surprise! -- unable to provide specific details when pressed. What's certain, though, is that while burundanga is a real and dangerous drug -- in Colombia, where it's most common, it's sometimes called "zombie powder" -- it has no scent, so could not possibly produce a "strong odor." In addition, burundanga must be swallowed or inhaled to have any effect. Seems rather unlikely that the young lady in question was in her car at the gas station, licking the painter's business card ...
10. 'Microsoft/AOL email tracking' email
THE EMAIL: Just about everyone with an email account has received this one at some time or another -- and passed it along. Usually sent via "a friend who's an attorney and knows the law," the email claims that "Bill Gates is sharing his fortune!" And it's easy to get in on the action: So the email explains, in an effort to make sure that Internet Explorer remains "the most widely used program," Microsoft and AOL are running an email beta test. All you have to do is forward this email to your friends, and Microsoft will track it over a two-week period. For every person who receives your forward, Microsoft will pay $245. For every person who receives their forwards, you'll receive $243. (And so on.) Within 15 days, you'll be sent a check signed by Bill Gates himself.
THE FACTS: Though versions of this email have been circulating since 1997, no one seems to be able to produce a check "signed by Bill Gates himself." Internet Explorer may indeed be one of the most widely used programs, but there's still no such thing as a free lunch.
That's just a handful of the bogus email warnings, offers and pleas for help currently making their way around the Web. The next time you're tempted to hit that "send" button -- even if you've got the best intentions -- check one these sites to verify the facts:
** www.snopes.com
** www.hoax-slayer.com
** www.scamtypes.com
** www.breakthechain.org
-- Randi Schmelzer, Clear365 Entertainment Editor
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