Hoaxes, Myths, & Urban Legends

Hoaxes, myths, and urban legends over the Internet come in the form of e-mails. They do not necessarily damage your system. Some may come as a warning of a virus. They are time consuming and can cost a business money.

Hoaxes use technical language to get you to believe them. They also use names of organizations to make them sound credible. They follow the same pattern as a chain letter. First they try to ‘hook’ you. They use word like “Danger!” and “Virus Alert”. After they have you hooked, then comes the threat. This may come in the form of a warning of danger if you do not continue with the chain. Finally, they request something of you. They ask you to forward this information to someone else.

Urban legends are alleged true stories which are plausible enough to be true. They usually happen to “a friend of a friend”. These legends are humorous, humiliating, or horrifying events. They are usually a story of caution. These stories were once verbal stories. Now with the advent of the Internet, they appear in your e-mail.

What do you do when you receive a hoax, myth, or urban legend? If you do not know the author of a particular e-mail, it is probably a hoax. The best piece of advice is not to open it up. Do not read the e-mail. Do not pass it along. They really are not worth your time.

If you happen to read one of these e-mails, there are steps you can take. Contacting your computer security manager is the first step. This person will know how to deal with such matters. You can buy software or visit websites to help you authenticate information.

Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn’t. One such hoax is going around now. The e-mail asks you to forward its information to everyone you know. If you do you will be rewarded. It plays on your fear of bad luck. By forwarding this e-mail, you will inherit some of Bill Gates’ fortune. Do you really think that Bill Gates will send you money?