So you get a too-good-to-be-true story in your e-mail and pass it on to a friend, who shoots back that it's an urban legend, not true, didn't happen, and how could you be so stupid? Here's a checklist of suspicious points to consider before believing or passing on a story. Any single one of these doesn?t mean much, but if several are present, check it out.
- The text wasn't actually written by the person who sent it to you.
- The e-mail says to "forward this to everyone you know."
- It states, "This is not a hoax" or "This is not an urban legend."
- It makes frequent use of UPPERCASE LETTERS and multiple exclamation points!!!!!!!
- The message seems geared more to persuade than to inform.
- It purports to convey very important information that you?ve never heard before or seen elsewhere.
- There are logical inconsistencies, violations of common sense and obviously false claims.
- There are no references to outside sources or links to Web sites with corroborating information.
- It's a chain letter.
- There are subtle or not-so-subtle clues that the author is deliberately pulling your leg.
Finally, two important points: First, check to see if the message has been debunked by one of the many Web sites that cover Internet hoaxes (see below). Second, be especially wary of health-related rumors, and never, ever act on one without first verifying its accuracy with your doctor.
- The official archive of the Alt.Folklore.Urban newsgroup:
- Urban Legends Reference Pages, by Barbara and David P. Mikkelson: www.snopes.com
- The Urban Legends Research Centre: www.ulrc.com.au
- For a longer explanation, including a discussion of why people seem compelled to believe urban legends, see: www.howstuffworks.com/urban-legend.htm