Please avoid participating in forwarding these chain emails. They are part of a greater hobby similar to those that write computer virus programs. It’s all about getting you to forward their viral email fiction all over the Internet so they can see how far and wide (how viral) they can spread a story they wrote. We would all do well to avoid stuffing the Internet and your friends mailboxes with items you’ve not bothered to look up and verify for yourself. Just because somebody you trust sent it to you, does not make it trustworthy. Remember, whoever they are, they once believed in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy. They are not evil, just fallible and they have fallen prey to a “Fairy Tale” like belief that everything they see on the Internet is true.
The letter I sent follows:
Every viral chain email that mentions Snopes as a form a credibility or non-credibility is at least 95% certain to be non-credible.
Here is the About-Snopes page:
The purpose of these outlandish emails is to try to get viral status and see them come back to you from all over the world. It’s part of the virus hobby. They write these to get you to forward them. They are almost all 100% hogwash. It’s not unlike an important part of the HAM Radio hobby, who’s purpose is often to make as many contacts all over the world as possible. Viral Email’ers are creative writers of fiction for sure, yet they contribute only static. It’s not much different from unwanted telephone sales calls.
When I check these forwarded emails, I find only one or two per year that are true. They tug at your heart strings on one level or another so you feel compelled to forward them. If it urges you to forward to all your friends, you won’t hardly ever be wrong if you just assume it’s a fabrication and delete it.
Dave
Do your own research at: Snopes
Another great site is: Urban Legends
