How To Spot an Email Hoax
http://urbanlegends.about.com/cs/nethoaxes/ht/emailhoax.htm
1. Note whether the text you've received was actually written by the person
who sent it. Did anyone sign their name to it? If not, be skeptical.
2. Look for the telltale phrase, 'Forward this to everyone you know!' The
more urgent the plea, the more suspect the message.
3. Look for statements like 'This is NOT a hoax' or 'This is NOT an urban
legend.' They typically mean the opposite of what they say.
4. Watch for overly emphatic language, as well as frequent use of UPPERCASE
LETTERS and multiple exclamation points!!!!!!!
5. If the text seems aimed more at persuading than informing the reader,
be suspicious. Like propagandists, hoaxers are more interested in pushing
people's emotional buttons than communicating accurate information.
6. If the message purports to impart extremely important information that
you've never heard of before or read elsewhere in legitimate venues, be very
suspicious.
7. Read carefully and think critically about what the message says, looking
for logical inconsistencies, violations of common sense and blatantly false
claims.
8. Look for subtle or not-so-subtle jokes — indications that the author
is pulling your leg.
9. Check for references to outside sources of information. Hoaxes don't typically
cite verifiable evidence, nor link to Websites with corroborating information.
10. Check to see if the message has been debunked by Websites that
debunk urban legends and Internet hoaxes (see sidebar).
11. Research any factual claims in the text to see if there is published
evidence to support them. If you find none, odds are you've been the recipient
of an email hoax.
Tips:
1. Virtually any email chain letter you receive (i.e., any message forwarded
multiple times before it got to you) is more likely to be false than true.
You should automatically be skeptical of chain letters.
2. Hoaxers usually try every means available to make their lies believable
-- e.g., mimicking a journalistic style, attributing the text to a 'legitimate'
source, or implying that powerful corporate or government interests have tried
to keep the information from you.
3. Be especially wary of health-related rumors. Most importantly, never
act on 'medical information' forwarded from unknown sources without first
verifying its accuracy with a doctor or other reliable source.
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