Current Netlore: Miscellaneous
Internet hoaxes, email rumors and urban legends
| Hoax = False, deliberately deceptive information UL = Urban Legend - a popularly believed narrative, typically false Rumor = Anecdotal claims - may be true, false, or in between Junk = Flotsam and jetsam of the Net |
NOTE: You can also locate specific items by typing relevant words into the Search box at the top of any page.
'300 People Who Believe in Gay Marriage' Chain Letter
'I told a guy that I could find 300 people who believe in gay marriage before he could find 300 people who do not,' reads this pointless waste of bandwidth.
'300 People Who Believe in God' Chain Letter
2001 chain letter newly revived: "I made this bet that I could find 300 people who believe in God before my friend could find 300 people who do not."
The 400 Christians of Meulaboh
According to this email tale, 400 Christians living in the predominantly Muslim city of Meulaboh, Indonesia were miraculously saved from death in the December 26, 2004 tsunami because they had left to celebrate Christmas in the hills after being told they could not do so in town.
Air Force Jets Fly in 'USA' Formation Over 'Taj Mahal'
Photo purports to show a Veterans Day flyby of T-38 Talon jet fighters in a formation spelling out "USA" over the "Taj Mahal" building at Randolph Air Force Base.
All of Santa's Reindeer Are Female
Is it true that male reindeer lose their antlers by December, therefore all of Santa's reindeer - including Rudolph - must be female?
Allah or Jesus?
Email describes an encounter between a Christian minister and a Muslim imam in which the latter admits that his religion requires violent jihad (holy war) against all infidels (non-believers in Islam).
AOL to Charge for Instant Messages
Age-old false rumor targeting America Online members.
AP Releases 'Sports Rolodex' Phone Numbers by Mistake
Circulating via forwarded email - a long, long list of phone numbers of important sports figures accidentally distributed by the Associated Press.
Asteroid May Collide with Earth
Internet postings say a newly-discovered object may be on a devastating collision course with our planet.
Barbara Walters Interviews Afghan Woman on Gender Roles
In which TV interviewer Barbara Walters asks an Afghan woman why she still walks several paces behind her husband...
Breast Cancer Awareness Stamp
This email rumor circulating since 1998 is true: the U.S. Postal Service is selling special stamps and donating part of the proceeds to breast cancer research.
Breast Cancer Donation Sites
True, but outdated. The Yahoo Health and NFL for Her sites offered one-click donation pages in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
A Canadian's Tribute to Americans
Also circulating under the title "America: The Good Neighbor," this text is authentic but was originally authored in 1973.
Card Trick: I Can Read Your Mind!
Here is a well-traveled card trick/mindreading illusion that has popped up again and again on the Internet.
'Class Project' Chain Letters
Don't bother responding to Mr. Blevins' 5th grade class - their email address has been canceled.
The Cloning of Jesus Christ
Our About colleague, Greg Hartman, investigates a Website devoted to "The Second Coming Project," the purported cloning of Jesus Christ.
Columbine High School Shootings
Americans attempt to share their grief over the Littleton massacre through email chain letters.
David Allen Prayer Request
This document is almost four years old. Missionary David Allen is just fine and no longer needs your prayers for his survival.
Dead Mermaid Washed Up by Tsunami (Photos)
Emailed photos allegedly show the carcass of a dead mermaid washed up on a beach at Chennai, India by the devastating tsunami of December 26, 2004.
Dial 112 in London Tube Emergency
Email flier claims that dialing 112 on one's mobile phone during an emergency in the London underground diverts the call via satellite, hence it's a better way to contact authorities than dialing 999.
Election Day Switch
Email alleges that this year's U.S. presidential election will take place over two days instead of one.
First Name Survey Chain Letter
Email chain letter purports to be a 'survey' of first names started by a teacher for her daughter, but it's just more junk clogging our inboxes.
Fly-Equipped Urinal
Emailed image shows a restroom urinal in Amsterdam's Schipol Airport with a fly etched in the porcelain to improve users' aim and reduce "spillage."
The Ghost of the Sundarbans
Emailed photo allegedly shows a ghost standing next to a tourist visiting the Sundarbans in southwest Bangladesh. Two days later, the tourist died of a heart attack. Coincidence?
The Ghost Under the Bed
Email chain letter claims that a ghost depicted in the attached image will "collect your soul" if you don't forward it to at least five people.
'Guinness Book of Records' Chain Letter
Just forward this message and get your name listed in Guinness - along with a million or so other folks.
The Hands of God (Hurricane Charley Photo)
Emailed image purports to show the 'hands of God' in a cloud formation associated with 2004's Hurricane Charley.
Harry Potter Turns Kids to Satanism
Chain letter contains alleged quotes from 10-year-olds who say they hate Jesus and love Satan.
How to Avoid Speeding Ticket Penalties
Email touts a too-good-to-be-true scheme for preventing points from being assessed against your driving record.
How to Detect a Two-Way Mirror
Is there a simple way to tell whether or not that mirror in the public restroom is real?
Hurricane Katrina Pictures
Emailed images purport to show Hurricane Katrina approaching the Gulf Coast in August 2005.
I Am a Bad American
Email rant on behalf of political incorrectness is falsely attributed to comedian George Carlin and other celebrities.
Insulting Epitaph (Photo)
Can you find the hidden, insulting message in this epitaph inscribed on a tombstone located in a Montreal cemetery?
Jelly Bracelets - An Invitation to Sex?
It is widely believed - apparently more so by adults than by the teenagers themselves - that the 'jelly bracelets' so popular among junior high school students nowadays are color-coded according to the wearer's willingness to perform certain sex acts.
John Kerry w/Jane Fonda
Image making the email rounds purports to be an Associated Press photo showing John Kerry standing at a podium beside Jane Fonda as she delivers a speech at a 1970s peace rally.
Law Firm Memo on Replacing Murdered Secretary
Callous memo stipulating schedule changes after an employee's murder turns out to be a prank.
London Underground Terrorism Alert
Email rumor circulating in the wake of the 7/7/05 terror bombings claims another attack on the London underground is expected "within the next week."
Mermaid Found in the Philippines
Emailed photos allegedly show the carcass of a dead mermaid found in the Philippines. P.T. Barnum would be proud.
Mike Hutchinson, Missionary in Peril
Email rumor that a Christian missionary in Africa is in danger of being lynched is false.
Marines Intentionally Dishonored Bill Clinton
Is the president's Marine helicopter crew treating G.W. Bush with more respect than it treated Bill Clinton?
MONDEX: The Mark of the Beast
Emailed slide show claims that microchips used in Mondex 'smart cards' are being implanted in people's hands or foreheads and constitute the 'mark of the beast' prophesied in the Biblical Book of Revelation.
NASA's $12 Billion Zero-Gravity Pen
Did NASA spend $12 billion to develop a ballpoint pen for astronauts working in zero gravity?
New California Law Requires Use of Headlights when Wipers Are On
Email flier claims that a new California law effective January 1, 2005 requires that drivers turn headlights on any time their windshield wipers are in use during daylight hours.
New Jersey 'Speeding Ticket Frenzy'
Email rumor claims New Jersey State Troopers are participating in a "speeding ticket frenzy" during the month of May -- whoops, make that July -- to increase the state's revenues.
Fw: New Summer Trends (Photos)
Emailed photos purportedly depicting 'new summer trends' show women with symmetrical rows of skin-piercings on their torsos laced up like old-fashioned corsets.
'No Relief in Sight for the Lincoln' by Ed Stanton
Emailed editorial penned by 'Ed Stanton,' a pseudonymous officer aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, harshly criticizes civilian workers involved in tsunami relief efforts in Indonesia.
Nostradamus Predicted Terrorist Attack on World Trade Center
Believe it or not, Nostradamus was able to compose this prophetic verse a century after his own death!
Office Worker Dead 5 Days Before Coworkers Realize
The strange story of George Turklebaum, proofreader.
Origin of the Word 'Picnic'
Email contends that the origin of the word "picnic" is connected with lynchings of blacks by white people in America.
Pastor Joe Wright's Prayer in the Kansas House of Representatives
Text of 'politically incorrect' prayer given by Pastor Joe Wright before the Kansas House of Representatives in 1996.
Pensacola Shark Attack - The Untold Story
A cynical, unsubstantiated account of events surrounding the July 6 shark attack on 8-year-old Jessie Arbogast of Pensacola, Florida.
Phuket Deep Sea Creatures
Series of emailed images purports to show rare deep-sea creatures washed up on the beaches of Phuket, Thailand by the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004.
President Bush Paid for Funeral of 6-Year-Old Drowning Victim
According to this email rumor, President Bush paid for the funeral of 6-year-old Sam Kettler, who drowned in a water tank a few miles from the president's ranch in Crawford, Texas in March 2004.
The Queen, the President and the Flatulent Horse
During a state visit to England, President G.W. Bush goes on a fateful coach ride to Buckingham Palace with the Queen of England and a farting horse.
The Queen and the Scottish Soldiers (Photo)
(Contains nudity) Emailed image shows Queen Elizabeth of England sitting amidst a group of kilt-wearing Scottish soldiers, one of whom reveals a wee bit too much of his manhood.
The Revocation of Independence
One of the funnier bits of Net satire poking fun at the interminable U.S. presidential election of 2000.
Rumsfeld to Kennedy: 'You're All Wet'
Satire mistaken for news: Donald Rumsfeld allegedly calls Senator Ted Kennedy "all wet" over accusations that the Bush administration misled the public about Iraq possessing weapons of mass destruction.
'Sandstorm from Hell' in Al Asad (Photos)
Emailed photos evidently snapped by a U.S. soldier document a 'sandstorm from hell' at Al Asad airbase in Iraq on April 26, 2005.
Satellite Photos of Columbia Shuttle Explosion
These stunningly clear, close-up images purporting to show the Space Shuttle Columbia blowing up in orbit are circulating via email. Were they really taken by an Israeli spy satellite?
School Science Fair Name-Gathering Project
Email chain letter soliciting the first names of recipients purports to be a school science fair project, but it's not.
'Slave Reparations' Tax Credits
Con artists are taking advantage of "slave reparations" rumors to bilk black senior citizens of money and personal information.
Soldier's Mother Solicits Emails of Support for U.S. Troops in Afghanistan
An email chain letter started by Connie Wells of Lufkin, TX, whose son is serving in the U.S. Army in Afghanistan, solicits messages of support for troops who won't be home for Christmas this year.
Static Electricity Causes Gas Pump Fires
MOSTLY TRUE: While a few of the claims in this email are erroneous, the Petroleum Equipment Institute has indeed issued a warning about the danger of static-caused fires while refueling automobiles.
Statue by Iraqi Artist Pays Tribute to U.S. Soldiers
Emailed photos show a memorial statue by Iraqi artist Kalat honoring the American troops who liberated his country.
Street Paintings
Emailed photos show remarkably realistic 3-D street and sidewalk paintings. Are they real?
The Teacher (and Little Teddy Stoddard)
Inspirational - though fictional - story of little Teddy Stoddard, a disadvantaged child who blossomed under the influence of his teacher, Mrs. Thompson, and went on to become a successful doctor.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Email flier purports to describe the lifelong duties of the Honor Guard of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Tow Truck Comedy of Errors
A photo vignette circulating via email shows a tow truck tumbling into the sea while attempting to salvage another tow truck that met the same fate while salvaging a wrecked car.
'Triangle of Life' Earthquake Survival Measures
Doug Copp's emailed advice on earthquake survival tactics entitled 'Triangle of Life' is disputed by search-and-rescue experts from the American Red Cross and elsewhere.
Tsunami Live Photos
Emailed images purportedly show people running for their lives as the Indian Ocean tsunami washes ashore on December 26, 2004.
Tsunami Picture
Emailed image purports to show the devastating tsunami of December 26, 2004 washing ashore on the Thai island of Phuket (or Indonesia, depending on version).
Unlock Your Car Door with a Cell Phone
Locked out of your automobile? According to this forwarded email, you can have someone transmit a signal from your spare remote key via cell phone and unlock your car door in a pinch.
U.S. Government to Monitor Employee Email in April
It either happened already on April 2 or will continue all month long, depending on which version of the email rumor you read.
U.S. Soldier Wears 'Doing the Work of...' Patch
Emailed photo shows a U.S. soldier wearing a black patch which reads 'Doing the work of...' above the flags of France, Germany and Russia.
U.S. Treasury Recalls New State Quarters
Is the U.S. Treasury recalling the state quarters of Texas, Alabama, West Virginia and other states because they won't fit in parking meters and vending machines?
'Video Clip' Chain Letter
The "coolest chain letter ever" claims that a funny video will appear on your screen if you forward it to 11 people.
Wacky 'Drunk Building' (Photos)
Emailed photos of a 'crazy architectural structure' that really exists in Sopot, Poland.
World's Tallest Woman
Emailed photos purport to show the world's tallest woman.
