Augusta Bulldogs Blockwatch

Augusta Bulldogs: Computer Help: Urban Legends, Hoaxes & Viruses

Virus, Hoaxes and Chain Letter Alerts Links A - Z updated 2/9

updated Jan 18 02

Please report ANY non-working links to us. Thanks!

A

"Pretty much every e-mailed "warning" about viruses you get is a hoax, but a few aren't. Before panicking (and before deciding to ignore the warning), always check the key sites that track viruses and hoaxes."
100 Best Virus Watch Sites by Entrepreneur.com
http://www.entrepreneur.com/Home/HM_Static/1,1845,dbapp_bestlist,00.html?sCategory=Virus+Watch&sSubmit=Search+By+Category

The AFU & Urban Legends Archive
http://www.urbanlegends.com/

Anti-Virus HOAX Warnings Page
http://www.datafellows.fi/news/hoax.htm

antivirus online: hype alerts!
http://www.av.ibm.com/BreakingNews/HypeAlert/

antivirus online: virus alerts!
http://www.av.ibm.com/BreakingNews/VirusAlert/

in the AwOL prison library...
AwOL Neighborhood Watch
aol://4344:2452.wachmain.26152392.564941300

Augusta Bulldogs: Computer: Urban Legends, Hoaxes and Virus Information
http://www.neighborhoodlink.com/public/genpage.html?nid=434760237&nneighid=402048063&nsupercity=559970528



B

Beginners & Internet Help Information by snowhawk: About that VIRUS!
http://www.snowhawk.com/newbie.html#vir

Blue Mountain is the victum of an mean internet hoax
http://www1.bluemountain.com/home/hoax.html

The Bottom 50 - Urban Legends
http://www.thecomedylab.com/bottom50/index.asp?id=55

in the A?–L prison library...
'Bubbleboy' E-Mail Virus Threatens Microsoft Outlook
aol://4344:2564.sein10.27792400.626701135



C

Central Command - AntiViral Toolkit Pro Virus Encyclopedia
http://www.avpve.com/

CIAC Internet Chain Letters
http://ciac.llnl.gov/ciac/CIACChainLetters.html

CIAC Internet Hoaxes
http://ciac.llnl.gov/ciac/CIACHoaxes.html

CIAC Virus Database
http://ciac.llnl.gov/ciac/CIACVirusDatabase.html

Classic Urban Legends
http://urbanlegends.miningco.com/cs/classics/index.htm

Welcome to Computer Associates
http://www.cai.com/

Computer Virus Myths home page
http://kumite.com/myths

Cozy Corner Booknook ... Computer Virus!
http://www.geocities.com/NapaValley/4428/comvir.html

Current Internet Hoaxes, urban legends, and other digital lies - Urban Legends
http://urbanlegends.miningco.com/library/blhoax.htm

Current Netlore - Internet hoaxes, rumors, etc. - A to Z List
http://urbanlegends.miningco.com/science/urbanlegends/library/blxatoz.htm
Cyber Criminals Most Wanted - HOAXES
http://www.ccmostwanted.com/hoax.htm



D

Disney's Email Tracking Giveaway - Urban Legends and Folklore
http://urbanlegends.miningco.com/library/bltrackd.htm

Dr. Solomon Virus Central
http://www.drsolomon.com/vircen/


E

E-mail Rumor Inaccurately Links Antiperspirants and Breast Cancer
http://www.breastcancerinfo.com/news/html/062499.asp

Evaluate your Sources
http://www.library.vcu.edu/help/evaluate.html

Evaluating Internet Research Sources
http://www.virtualsalt.com/evalu8it.htm

Evaluation of information sources
http://www.vuw.ac.nz/~agsmith/evaln/evaln.htm


F

Fact or Fiction: Email Hoaxes & Scams
http://www.theinspirations.com/htm/EmailHoaxes.htm

Febreze - Safely Cleans Away Odors on Fabrics
http://www.febreze.com/pet.html

FICTIONAL FACTS (UPDATED x 2) Madalyn Murray O'Hair (alt. Madelyn Murray O'Hare) Petition 2493
http://www.liontracks.org/xficfac.htm

F-Secure Virus Info Center
http://www.datafellows.com/vir-info/


G


H

Help Articles written by Hula - Avoiding Viruses
http://www.ori.net/flynhawaiian/info/articleMarch2000.htm#antivirus%20tutorial

Hoaxbusters: Welcome to the New CIAC Hoax Pages
http://hoaxbusters.ciac.org/

Welcome to The Hoax Squad! Internet Schemes, Scams, Spams, Scares, Rumors and Urban Legends
http://www.hoaxsquad.com/

Hoax warnings
http://www.datafellows.com/virus-info/hoax/

Welcome to HouseCall: Trend Micro's free online virus scanner
http://housecall.antivirus.com/default.asp


I

download free anti-virus software....
Inoculate T - Personal Edition
http://antivirus.cai.com/

Internet Hoaxes Email Rumors and Urban Legends - Current Netlore Debunked
http://urbanlegends.miningco.com/library/blhoax.htm

I swear it's all true! CNET's favorite Net hoaxes - Tech Trends - CNET.com
http://aolsvccomp.cnet.com/techtrends/0-6014-7-1427917.html?pt.aolsvccomp.comain.oc.tt_6014-7-1427917


J

Just Say No to Virus's - By D2Badd
http://www.baddteddy.com/virus.htm#Just%20Say%20no%20to%20Viru
s's


K

came out about 12/2000
Kevin Archer Email Hoax
http://www.chron.com/content/archive/index.mpl#kevinarcher

story about kevin archer
The Houston Chronicle
http://www.houstonchronicle.com/


L


M

McAfee.com - The Place for Your PC
http://www.mcafee.com/

McAfee.com - Virus Information Library
http://vil.mcafee.com/hoax.asp?

The most expensive cookie recipe in the world?
http://home3.swipnet.se/~w-37418/cookie.html


N

in the A?–L prison library
Nasty PC Virus Set To Hit Monday
aol://4344:2564.virus22.27790984.609283861

NewsFactor Network
http://www.newsfactor.com

NIST Virus Information
http://csrc.nist.gov/virus/



O


P

Picture.exe really a Trojan horse
http://www.msnbc.com/news/229572.asp

PROCTER & GAMBLE: STOP THE LIES!
http://www.liontracks.org/nlpg0999.htm


Q

R

Religious Broadcasting Rumor Denied: Madalyn Murray O'Hair
http://www.fcc.gov/mmb/enf/forms/rm-2493.html



S

San Fernando Valley Folklore Society's Urban Legends Reference Pages
http://www.snopes.com/

Internet ScamBustersTM
"The #1 Publication on Internet Fraud"
Check out why Forbes, MSNBC, PC Magazine, Yahoo, Wired and many others have all recommended Internet ScamBusters...
Scam Busters
http://www.scambusters.com

Scam Busters: Urban Legends: Don't Believe Everything You Read
http://www.scambusters.com/legends.html

Scam Busters: Real Viruses (and what to do if you've been infected)
http://www.scambusters.com/viruses.html

We have been bombarded with questions about the e-mail message that
instructs you to delete the ‘sulfnbk.exe’ file from your Windows based
computer. This is actually the second round for this HOAX and seems to
be more wide-spread this time. Sulfnbk.exe is actually a Windows file,
so anyone that searches for it will find it, but it is not a virus! See
our previous warning and how to fix it if you fell for the hoax at:
The second coming of the sulfnbk.exe hoax!
http://computerproblems.com/answer.cfm?AnswerID=26011&QuestionID=26074&CatID=27

Snopes - Urban Legands Reference Pages
http://www.snopes2.com/

Snopes.com Urban Legends Reference Page: Christmas
http://www.snopes2.com/holidays/christmas/xmas.asp

Snopes.com - Urban Legends Reference Pages: Military
http://www.snopes2.com/military/military.asp

Snopes.com - Urban Legends Reference Pages - Ollie North and bin Laden (FALSE)
http://www.snopes.com/rumors/north.htm

Snopes - Urban Legands Reference Pages: Penny Brown
http://www.snopes2.com/inboxer/children/penny.htm

Snopes.com - Urban Legends Reference Pages - Rumors of War
http://www.snopes2.com/rumors/rumors.htm

Snopes.com - Urban Legends: Warning! Slavemaster/SweetCaliGuy4evr
http://www.snopes.com/horrors/madmen/slavemas.htm

Sophos Virus information
http://www.sophos.com/Virus/virus.html

Stiller Research: Integrity Master Virus Protection / Data Integrity
http://www.stiller.com/

Symantec AntiVirus Research Center
http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/

Verified (1/2001) NEW VIRUS going around!...
Symantec.com - Fix Happy 99 Virus
http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/fix.happy99.worm.html


T

Trend Micro, Incorporated - Free Tools - HouseCall
http://housecall.antivirus.com/default.asp

Trend Micro, Incorporated - SecurityInfo - Virus Encyclopedia Input
http://www.antivirus.com/vinfo/virusencyclo/default.asp

Trend Micro, Incorporated - Security Info - Y2k
http://www.antivirus.com/cybercontent/y2k/

truth, lies, and the Internet
http://www.cnet.com/Content/Features/Dlife/Truth/index.html?tag=st.cn.6014-7-1427917.txt.gp

Truth or Fiction
http://www.truthorfiction.com/

"Is your computer acting strange? Is your internet doing strange things?
Are you seeing unauthorized sent mails? Have you been downloading?
Are you seeing weird returned mails? Trojan Explosion: Find and Remove your Trojan/virus Yourself Due to A?–L Prison's ftp problems, grrrr. I'm sending you to my domain site"
www.typebyte.com
http://www.typebyte.com/index.html


U



V

Virus Bulletin Home Page
http://www.virusbtn.com/

Virus Central: Password Stealer Removal
http://members.aol.com/StealthNet/PWS.html

Virus Tutorial and information
http://www.ori.net/flynhawaiian/info/articleMarch2000.htm#antivirus%20tutorial

"Learn about computer virus myths, hoaxes, urban legends, hysteria, and the implications if you believe in them. You can also search a list of computer virus hoaxes & virus hysteria from A to Z."
Welcome to vmyths.com
http://www.vmyths.com/


W


Widespread Virus Myths
http://www.stiller.com/myths.htm

WildList Index
http://www.virusbtn.com/WildLists/

Win32/Ska virus spreads via internet
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Heights/3652/SKA.HTM

XYZ

Current Netlore: Internet Hoaxes, Email Rumors and Urban Legends

updated 06 03 01

Please report ANY non-working links to us. Thanks!

A - Z List
To see the complete roster of Internet rumors, hoaxes & legends go to Current Netlore - Internet hoaxes, rumors, etc. - A to Z List



Hoax =False, deliberately deceptive information, including pranks & jokes
UL =Urban Legend: a popularly believed narrative, most likely false
Rumor =Unsubstantiated information forwarded with gusto
Junk =Flotsam and jetsam of the Net


809 Area Code Phone Scam Alert [Rumor]
More or less true! This email alert originated in a reputable newsletter and warns of a known telephone scam.

90# Phone Scam Alert [Rumor]
A half dozen or so variations of this alert have been in wide circulation since 1998. The scam is real, but it does not affect typical residential phone customers.

Aaron Russell Steinmetz: Missing Child [Junk]
Another defunct alert. Andrew Steinmetz was kidnapped by his father, then recovered safe and sound by authorities.

Al Gore vs. Christianity [Rumor]
The U.S. Vice President allegedly calls Christians "a blight on the environment."

Anti-Abortion Petition [Junk]
In which we are told that a pregnant girl's boyfriend has agreed to let her to bear the child if 500 people sign this petition. Sheesh.

Afghan Women's Rights Petition [Junk]
Not a hoax, but a sincere effort gone astray.
One way You CAN help...
Women For Women International: Humanitarian Relief for Survivors of Crisis

Amy Bruce Chain Letter [Hoax]
Yet another opportunity to save a dying child who doesn't exist.

Antiperspirants Cause Breast Cancer [Hoax]
This false rumor has been thoroughly trounced by medical professionals.

A?–L Prison Camp to Charge for Instant Messages [Hoax]
Age-old false rumor targeting America Online members.

A?–L Prison Camp/Intel Merger Giveaway [Hoax]
Just forward this message, sit back, and wait for your check to arrive! And wait. And wait. And wait.

A?–L Prison Camp/Netscape Merger Giveaway [Hoax]
Sorry, folks. Microsoft will not be handing out cash to everyone who forwards this message.


Asbestos in Crayons
According to lab tests conducted for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, three major brands of crayons were found to be contaminated with asbestos, a substance that causes cancer. The brands found to contain asbestos were Crayola, Prang, and Rose Art.The asbestos is thought to be a contaminant of talc, which is used to strengthen crayons. The email rumors are based on an actual news story in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. (Coverage by About.com's Art for Kids Guide.)

CPSC Releases Test Results on Crayons - Industry to Reformulate

Saving Lives and Keeping Families Safe
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Asha Degree: Missing Child
A valid email alert which unfortunately contains no contact information.

Kelsey Brooke Jones: Missing Child [Junk]
The latest word is that this apparent hoax may have been a valid alert after all. Briefly.

Krystava Patients Schmidt: Missing Child [Junk]
A message still circulating more than a year after the fact pleads for help finding a missing child, but the youngster has been safe and sound all this time.

If you really want to help in regards to missing children, share this link
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's Home Page

or this one...

Angels Crossings: Keeping Our Kids Safe

Aspartame (NutraSweet) Warning [Rumor]
Overblown email flyer dating from 1995, alleging that NutraSweet causes just about every malady known to humankind. Scientists balk.

ATM Envelope Poisonings [Hoax]
False rumor declares that a bank customer died after licking a cyanide-coated deposit envelope.

Attempted Child Abduction at Sam's Club [UL]
Three email versions are now circulating of this decades-old (and false) urban legend.

Backseat Killers & Ankle-Slashing Gangs [UL]
Two more well-known urban legends show up as an email warning.

Bananas Spread Flesh-Eating Disease [Hoax]
Necrotizing fasciitis, a rare and deadly disease, allegedly infects an entire crop of Costa Rican fruit.

Bath & Body Works Giveaway [Hoax]
And free stuff from J. Crew, as well! Two more "email tracking" pranks to add to the ever-growing list.

'Bile Bears' in China (Petition) [Junk]
This is a well-intended e-petition containing fairly accurate information, but "signing" it is a waste of time.

'Email Tax' Bill 602P [Hoax]
Infamous email hoax crops up in the recent Clinton/Lazio N.Y. Senate debate.

Black Voting Rights to Expire in 2007 [Rumor]
This email alert, bouncing around the Internet since January 1997, has just about all of the facts wrong.

'Blue Star' LSD Tattoo [UL]
Email alert claims that colorful cartoon stickers laced with LSD pose a threat to children everywhere.

Breast Cancer Awareness Stamp This email rumor circulating since 1998 is true: the U.S. Postal Service is selling special stamps and donating part of the proceeds to breast cancer research.

To order stamps go to: United States Postal Service and click on Postal Store - Stamps Online.

About.com - Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer Donation Websites [Junk]
True, but outdated. The Yahoo Health and NFL for Her sites offered one-click donation pages in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

to donate free breast cancer mammograms go here...one click per person; per day...
The Breast Cancer Site.com

E-mail Rumor Inaccurately Links Antiperspirants and Breast Cancer

Campbell's Soup / NFL Food Donations [Junk]
The "Click for Cans" donation drive co-sponsored by Chunky Soup and the NFL has surpassed its goal and is now over.

Canola Oil Is Hazardous to Your Health! [Rumor]
Here we go again! Internet rumormongers claim that canola, usually touted as one of the healthier food oils, is in fact very toxic to human beings.

Cell Phone Giveaway - Nokia and Ericsson [Hoax]
Hoax messages say Nokia and Ericsson are giving away mobile phones.

Cell Phones Cause Gas Station Explosions [Rumor]
Still unsubstantiated, but 'tis better to be safe than sorry.

The Char-Broiled Scuba Diver [UL]
As featured in the recent film "Magnolia," as well as a currently circulating email.

'Class Project' Chain Letters [Junk]
Don't bother responding to Mr. Blevins' 5th grade class their email address has been canceled.

The Cloning of Jesus Christ [Hoax]
Our About colleague, Greg Hartman, investigates a Website devoted to "The Second Coming Project," the purported cloning of Jesus Christ.

Cockroach Eggs on Envelopes [UL/Hoax]
Postal Service worker's tongue gives birth to live cockroach!

Cockroach Egg Tacos at Taco Bell [UL]
A fast-food horror story, as told in six different locations around the U.S.

Cologne Sniffing Scam [Rumor]
You all know not to take candy from strangers. Well... it's not safe to sniff their perfume, either.

Corpses of Children Used to Traffic Drugs [UL]
An old urban legend (c. 1973) dressed up in new clothes for the Internet.

'Cough CPR' Can Save Your Life [Rumor]
According to the American Heart Association, the "live-saving" technique advocated in this email is not recommended in the absence of medical supervision.

Cracker Barrel Gift Certificate Chain Letter [Hoax]
Free gift certificates for forwarding a chain letter. Sound familiar?

Craig Shergold Chain Letter [UL]
Story of the little boy whose life was saved by a chain letter that won't die.

Dave Matthews Chain Letter [Hoax]
Rock star philanthropist offers up his email address to help sick & dying kids.

Electricity is a Funny Thing [UL]
In case you needed it, proof that urine and electicity don't mix.

EMI/Time Warner Merger Giveaway [Hoax]
Another "email tracking" hoax promising money and vouchers for free merchandise.

The Exploding Toilet [UL]
Our hapless protagonist tosses a lit cigarette into the selfsame toilet where his wife recently dumped gasoline.

The Fatal Hairdo [UL]
The email variant of this very old horror story warns of what can happen when a mother doesn't wash her child's braids.

Febreze Warning [Rumor]
An email warning in circulation since January warns that the fabric deodorizer Febreze is toxic to pets.

'Gas Out' [Junk]
Forwarded email incites Americans to protest high gasoline prices by skipping 3 days at the pumps.

'Gay Jesus' Film [UL]
Email petition incites Christians to protest the making of a film depicting Jesus and the disciples as gay.

Gerber Savings Bond Giveaway [Rumor]
Fax and email alerts falsely claim that Gerber Products Co. lost a class action suit and now must pay out restitution to millions of American children.

'Good Samaritan' Killer at the Mall [UL]
A murderous, well-dressed "good samaritan" supposedly lurks in the parking lots of shopping malls just about everywhere.

'Guinness Book of Records' Chain Letter [Hoax]
Just forward this message and get your name listed in Guinness along with a million or so other folks.

Gullibility Virus Warning [Hoax/Joke]
Send this to everyone you know! Hurry!

Handgun Tax - Senate Bill S. 2099 [Rumor]
The premise here is that a secret "backdoor bill" in Congress will require listing every gun you own on your federal income tax forms.

Harry Potter Turns Kids to Satanism [Rumor]
Chain letter contains alleged quotes from 10-year-olds who say they hate Jesus and love Satan.

Headlight Flashing 'Gang Initiation Rite' [UL]
Urban legend from the early '90s re-emerges as a frightening email alert.

Heroin Needle Kills Child in McDonald's Ball Pit [UL/Hoax]
The "Kevin Archer" story, curiously similar to 1998's tall tale about snakes in a Burger King ball pit.

HIV Needles on Gas Pumps [UL]
More needle-stick incidents, this time centered in Jacksonville, Florida.

HIV Needles in Movie Theater Seats [UL]
"Welcome to the world of AIDS." The latest round of needle-stick incidents.

HIV Needles in Pay Phone Coin Slots [UL]
Are drug addicts everywhere trying to kill us all with their dirty syringes?

Hotmail Overload [Hoax]
Hotmail users who do not forward this chain letter are in danger of losing their accounts.

Is there a simple way to tell whether or not that mirror in the public restroom is real? [Rumor]
How to Detect a Two-Way Mirror

SPECIAL: Is The Hunger Site Legit?
The answer is yes! You'll find verification here.
The Hunger Site

Hydrogen Beer Explosion [Hoax/Joke]
Japanese man suffers serious burns while belching blue fire in karaoke bar!

Internet Cleaning Day [Hoax]
It's time for the annual Internet shutdown for cleaning and maintenance!

The Jessica Mydek Chain Letter [Hoax]
Jessica Mydek, a 7-year-old girl supposedly dying of cancer, does not exist, nor will the American Cancer Society contribute money for every time this chain letter is forwarded.

Kalin Relek Chain Letter [Hoax]
Katie Relek says her son is dying. Problem is, as far as we can tell she doesn't exist and neither does he.

KFC Uses Mutant Chickens [UL/Hoax]
Ever wonder why it's not called Kentucky Fried Chicken anymore?

Kidney Thieves [UL]
A 1997 variant. This hysterical warning is a hodgepodge of various mutations of the legend cut-and-pasted together.

The Klingerman Virus [Hoax]
Not your ordinary bogus virus alert. This one's about a (supposedly) real, live bug that is fatal to human beings!

Larry Ellison's Yale Commencement Address [Satire]
Did Oracle's CEO, Larry Ellison, really call the Yale Class of 2000 a pack of losers?

Long Distance Toll Charge for Internet Access [Rumor]
A "new" old rumor the U.S. government is going to make us pay long distance rates for dial-up access.

LSD & Strychnine on Pay Phone Buttons [Rumor]
More pay phone hysteria, courtesy of the Internet.

Mall Abduction Scams on 'Inside Edition' [Rumor]
This "warning to women" claims that elaborate scams are being used by abductors to lure female shoppers out of malls and into waiting vans.

Mel Gibson - The Man Without a Face [Hoax]
Film about a disfigured teacher was allegedly based on Mel Gibson's own life.

Mike Hutchinson, Missionary in Peril [Rumor]
Email rumor that a Christian missionary in Africa is in danger of being lynched is false.

Neiman Marcus (Mrs. Fields) Cookie Recipe [UL]
Posh department store charges $250 for a cookie recipe; victim gets even by sharing it with the world. All the ingredients of a legend!

Nigerian Business Offer [Scam]
Beware of messages from Nigerians offering you a million dollars or more for agreeing to be their "business partner."

'No Fear' Bumper Stickers Are Racist [Rumor]
Email rumor charges that the stickers promote David Duke's National Organization for European American Rights.

Nostradamus Predicts Outcome of U.S. Election [Hoax]
Republicans balk; Democrats wonder how Nostradamus could have been so spookily accurate 450 years ago.

Ovarian Cancer and CA-125 Screening [Rumor]
Rumor makes misleading claims about "primary peritoneal cancer" and the value of the CA-125 tumor marker as a screen.

Paget's Disease of the Nipple [REAL]
The information in this forwarded email warning of a rare but real form of breast cancer is mostly accurate.

PBS / NPR / NEA Petition [Junk]
"The Case of the Pointless Petition" a cautionary tale.

'Picnic' Origin [Hoax]
Email contends that the origin of the word "picnic" is connected with lynchings of blacks by white people in America.

Prehistoric Barbie [Joke]
Unbelievable archaeological discovery!

'Progesterex' - New Date Rape Drug [Hoax]
According to this false email alert, there's a new date rape drug that permanently sterilizes female victims.


Purse Snatchings Result in Near-Decapitation [Hoax]
This email tells us that female victims are suffering broken necks, near-decapitation and even death in the course of purse snatching crimes.

Racial Indicators in Social Security Numbers [Rumor]
Did the government secretly "color-code" your SSN? Plus, alleged racism in Microsoft software.

Rain Forest Petition [Junk]
This petition to oppose a deforestation measure before Brazilian Congress is outdated and useless.

Rat Droppings/Urine Cause Hawaiian Man's Death [Rumor]
A plausible scenario, but did this incident really happen?

Rat Urine on Soda Pop Cans Is Lethal [Rumor]
Three variations of a cautionary tale making the email rounds since 1998.

Save the Puppies! [Hoax/Joke]
Forward this message and save a puppy's life... or make a buck, it's unclear which.

Shampoo Cancer Warning [Rumor]
This chain letter falsely claims that sodium laureth sulfate, an ingredient found in some brand-name shampoos, is carcinogenic.

Snakes Kill Child in Burger King Ball Pit [UL]
Email warns of baby rattlesnakes hiding in restaurant playgrounds.

Spunkball Warning [Rumor]
Teenagers across America, we're told, are tossing firebombs into randomly selected vehicles.

Statue of Liberty Is a Tribute to Black Slaves [Rumor]
Internet rumor prompts new research into Lady Liberty's past.

Timothy Flyte Chain Letter [Hoax]
A fictional (quite literally) character is dying of the dread disease "Ostriopliosis." Forward this chain letter to save his life.

'Toilet Spiders' Kill 5 in Chicago Airport [Hoax]
The deadly "arachnius gluteus" rears its ugly head across the U.S.

Tommy Hilfiger Made Racist Statements on Oprah [Rumor]
That's what the email rumor claims, at any rate. This outright lie dates back several years.

'Touched by an Angel' Religious Broadcasting Petition [Junk]
This petition, alleging that the FCC is under the spell of atheist Madalyn Murray O'Hair, is just as false now as it was 25 years ago.

Toxic Sponges from P&G [Hoax]
A new email alert claims that "pot scrubbers" from P&G contain a toxic chemical.

Toxic Tampons [Rumor]
Two versions of this email alert are circulating, one more fraudulent than the other.

The Truth about the IRS [Hoax/Joke]
Hey, this one's kind of plausible!

Ultra Clorox is Dangerous to Pets & Children [Rumor]
It contains lye, says the email rumor, and therefore is more hazardous than regular Clorox.

'Video Clip' Chain Letter [Hoax]
The "coolest chain letter ever" claims that a funny video will appear on your screen if you forward it to 11 people.

Waterproof Sunscreen Causes Blindness in Children [Rumor]
Recycled 1998 warning alleges that children have gone blind due to exposure to waterproof sunscreens.

What It Takes..? [Hoax/Joke]
The most outrageous college application essay ever written.

end

Samples of E-Mail Hoaxes UPdated 02 09 02

This is a new one! (at least to us)

Warning! Slavemaster/SweetCaliGuy4evr

Claim: Someone who calls himself "slavemaster" is luring women to their deaths over the Internet and has already claimed 56 victims.
Status: Not quite.

Examples: [Collected on the Internet, 2000]

If a guy by the name of SlaveMaster contacts you do not answer. He has killed 56 women that he has talked to on the internet.

PLEAZE SEND OUT TO ALL THE WOMEN ON YOUR BUDDY LIST . ALSO ASK THEM TO PASS THIS ON.

He has been on {{ Yahoo- Aol--Excite }} so far.

This is no JOKE.!!!!!!

AND PLEASE SEND THIS TO MEN TO.......JUST IN CASE!

Send to EVERY ONE YOU KNOW!!

Origins: Information goes a long way in the Internet era, and this one's got the legs to outlast even AOL. There is some truth
here, but the warning is outdated.

John Edward Robinson Sr., 56, was arrested on 2 June 2000 and charged with sexual assault on two women in the Kansas
City area. Robinson lured the women (as he had others) into participating in sadomasochistic sex by contacting them over the
Internet under the name "slavemaster." The two women filed charges after Robinson "brutalized them in a way that went beyond
what they intended."

After Robinson's arrest, law enforcement authorities discovered two 55-gallon industrial barrels, each containing a woman's
body, on land Robinson owned in Kansas. A few days later, they discovered three more bodies in barrels kept in a storage
space Robinson rented in Missouri. All five women appeared to have been bludgeoned to death.

Robinson was also suspected in the mid-1980s disappearances of three women and an infant whose bodies had not yet been
located. One of the bodies Robinson had stored in barrels was later identified as being one of these women, and the missing
infant was discovered to have been adopted by Robinson's brother.

The "slavemaster" is monstrously real, but so far he's well short of the 56 victims claimed for him, and he remains behind bars,
not out trolling the Internet for additional victims.

Update: In October 2001, the Slavemaster warning was sent around the Internet again, this time pointing the finger at someone using the handle of SweetCaliGuy4evr. Same text, just a different name.

Last updated: 28 January 2002

Snopes.com: Warning! Slavemaster/SweetCaliGuy4evr
http://www.snopes.com/horrors/madmen/slavemas.htm



The "Kevin Archer" e-mail being circulated these days is a hoax. There is nothing to be found in the archives. No such article appeared in this or any other newspaper on Oct. 10, 1994, or any other date as no such or similar incident ever has occurred here or been reported by any news service or in any medical or legal records.

Kevin Archer Email Hoax

The Houston Chronicle



A Hoax writers' Technique

"A friend named Dianna sent me the following on Saturday":

I am trying to verify the authenticity of a letter I received via e-mail this morning. I am very careful not to pass on things that are not truth and which I personally have not checked out through other sources. Hoax sites on the Internet could not help me with this one, and since it was stated that I could check this out in the Oct. 10, 1994, article in the Houston Chronicle on Kevin Archer, I thought maybe you could help me. I have sent an e-mail communique to the main e-mail for the Chronicle but then saw your name on that site as well. This article supposedly states that Kevin died as a result of a needle injection of heroin while playing in a ball pit at a McDonald's and the investigation proved that there were needles, some empty and some full, feces, food, knives and a stench of urine. I question this article, since it is asking people to pass the warning to other parents and the article supposedly is so old. Could you help me validate or deny the authenticity of these accusations before I address the person who sent it to me.

Yes, I can help with this one.

A search of the Chronicle archives shows no article mentioning Kevin Archer on Oct. 10, 1994, or any other date. And there's only one article in the Chronicle archives that mentions "McDonald," "heroin" and "needle" in the same article, and that was about AIDS and drug users, and it quoted a doctor whose last name was McDonald.

Also, since I was in the news business in Southeast Texas in October 1994, I feel certain that I would have heard about that story if it were true.

That's one of the favorite techniques of hoax writers. They attach the name of a real publication and a specific date (far enough in the past to make verification difficult), and it makes their garbage seem much more authentic.

But some smart people like Dianna know that just because a warning on the Internet cites a reputable source, that doesn't mean the reputable source ever reported what's being claimed.

No, the Chronicle never reported on needles in the McDonald's playground. It didn't happen.

And now the rest of you know.

Thanks, Dianna.
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begining of email hoax story

SEND THIS TO ANYONE YOU KNOW WHO HAS SMALL CHILDREN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Some of you may not be parents, but you could have nieces or nephews that this will pertain to. As I read the following, my heart sank. I urge each and every one of you to pass this on to as many people as you can.

I cannot stress how important this is! This is VERY DISTURBING news! In addition to the following, which is a true story, I will also add that my own sons were playing in the Ball Pit at Discovery Zone one day.

One son lost his watch, which his grandparents had given to him and was very upset. We dug and dug in those balls trying to find the watch.

Instead, we found vomit, food, poop and other stuff I do not want to
discuss. I went to the manager and raised ten kinds of hell. Come to find out the Ball Pit is only cleaned out once a month. I have my doubts if it is even that often.) My kids will never play in another one.

Now, read this...

Hi. My name is Lauren Archer. My son Kevin and I lived in Sugarland, TX.

On October 2, 1994 I took my only son to McDonald's for his 3rd
birthday. After he finished lunch, I allowed him to play in the ball pit.
When he started whining later on, I asked him what was wrong.

He pointed to the back of his pull-up and simply said "Mommy, it hurts."
I looked, but couldn't find anything wrong with him at the time. I bathed him when we got home, and it was at that point that I found a welt on his left buttock. Upon investigation, it seemed as if there was something like a splinter under the welt. I made an appointment for the next day to have it removed, but in the meantime he started vomiting and shaking, then his eyes rolled back into his head. We immediately went to the emergency room and my only son died later that night.

It turned out that the welt on his buttock was the tip of a hypodermic
needle that had broken off inside. The autopsy revealed that Kevin had died from heroine overdose. The next day, the police removed the balls from the ball pit and lo and behold, there was rotten food, several hypodermic needles (thrown in by employees? cleaning people? customers with a weird sense of humor?) half-eaten candy, diapers, feces, and the stench of urine.

If a child is not safe in a child's play area, then where? If you question the validity of this story, you can find the article on Kevin Archer in the October 10, 1994 issue of the Houston Chronicle.

Some children have gotten LICE from those ball pits.

Please forward this to all loving mothers and fathers.

end of email hoax story

David Galloway is a content supervisor and columnist for HoustonChronicle.com. He welcomes comments directed to David.Galloway@chron.com
David Galloway

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