Rumor busting and scam slaying: FactCheck.org

Snopes was the first site I found that provided answers to scams and rumors, but they don't always get everything right.

FactCheck.org is a great resource for checking the truth about things and should be used in combination with Snopes as a first place to start when dealing with rumors.

Chain letters gather e-mail addresses the further they go. Here's an example that has gathered quite a few e-mail addresses along the way:

The further it goes, the more e-mails it collects

If you're going to forward an e-mail, make sure you actually delete all the e-mail addresses and other useless data from above and below the actual content before you do. Not only are you preventing your e-mail (and the e-mails of everyone else on the list) from being sent to who knows who, but it makes the content of the e-mail much easier to find.

Pranks and Hoaxes

Besides protecting the privacy of those who came before you and those who come after, it might be a good idea to verify the authenticity of an e-mail before sending it along. There are a variety of hoaxes that are constantly being sent around in e-mails with the plea to send them to everyone you know.

In one famous case, Nike shoes was the target of a prank that claimed that if you sent them old sneakers, you'd receive a new pair for free! Because people believed it and kept spreading the lie, Nike received thousands of pairs of old shoes and a lot of bad press through no fault of their own.

Even if you don't share my personal distaste for people who create hysteria or harm through these pranks, at least consider the embarrassment factor. If you're one of those people who forward everything without previously researching it, you look pretty gullible and at the very least, people will start ignoring the things you send.

Whenever you receive one of these chain letters, first check the rumor-busting sites online:

• Snopes - Answers to Rumors and Urban Legends
• FactCheck.org - Rumor Busting and Scam Slaying