Leah Dantinne
Online Hoaxes and Myths
I, like almost everyone else to use the internet, have fallen prey to online hoaxes, urban legends, and internet myths. I have seen many different types of hoaxes from chain letters and interesting stories to funny, scary, often unreal messages. I think the reason to send hoaxes along online are out of fear or worry that there is the chance it might be true. I am an example of a superstitious person who passes chain letters because I believe maybe something will or will not happen if I break the chain. People also continue them out of compassion or because they believe they can help the child suffering from the strange disease receive money or recover. A Final reason is out of greed. Many people are promised free things and believe they will receive a reward if they continue the hoax.
Visiting the recommended sites helped me better understand online hoaxes and myths. I remember receiving a specific hoax listed on this page; the myth about poisonous perfume samples in the mail, and I’m embarrassed to admit that I forwarded it on.
After discovering how to uncover a fraud, I feel I will not make as many online myth mistakes. Some tell-tale signs I will search for are richness of detail, multiple variations of the same story, and insistence that it is absolutely true. I am especially susceptible to the chain letters because of my superstitious nature. Advice on the recommended websites about these specific hoaxes is that they have three parts: a hook, a threat, and a request. I am going to pay particular attention to this format and break my forwarding habit.