Lesson 11
Hoaxes


For many years, the Internet community has endured a wave of e-mail hoaxes and pranks, exploiting users' unfamiliarity with how the Internet, and computer systems in general work. With the explosive growth of the Internet and its popularity, more and more new users are "getting on line" and becoming targets for pranksters. Old stories are just waiting for a new mass of people who have not been exposed, so that they can go streaming across the net again. There is no technical solution for this problem. Even when users become experienced enough to be able to tell an incorrect message when they see one, anyone can get suckered sometimes. It seems that all users of the Internet will have to put up with a certain amount of nonsense. Generally, these messages are only an annoyance, but Internet hoaxes have already cost victims property, reputation, and even endangered their lives..
Experienced users call these problem messages Junk-mail Viruses, because they act like other computer viruses, only they use people as the method of infecting new systems. Users of the Internet must learn to be skeptical, and think carefully before spreading a message to new users. There are some simple things you can do to avoid being a carrier for Junk-mail Viruses.
The following sites are available to check out emails you receive before forwarding them if you suspect that the information is false or misleading.

Sites to check:
1. http://www.snopes.com/snopes.asp
2. http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/internet/a/current_netlore.htm
3. http://www.hoax-slayer.com/
4. http://www.hoaxbusters.org/
5. http://www.truthorfiction.com/
6. http://www.nonprofit.net/hoax/
7. http://www.factcheck.org/



If the email says to send it to everyone on your email list it may be a hoax.
Many times you receive information with large red print which is another way of spotting a possible hoax.
Chain emails to be mailed in are a hoax even if well intentioned. You can check for yourself by sending it to the address given and the server may send it back as undeliverable. Spam is collected this way.

Remember we all fall prey to passing on a hoax on occasion so if you spot one just inform the sender so he can correct it to the ones he sent it to. At least this may stop the spread of hoaxes.