1. Photos of Air France Flight 447 Crash
Circulating via email, photos purportedly taken inside the passenger cabin of Air France Flight 447 as it broke up over the Atlantic Ocean. Status: False
2. Ericsson 'Free Laptop' Promotion
Email chain letter claims phone manufacturer Ericsson will give away free laptop computers to those who forward the message to at least eight people. Status: False
3. Add Cell Phones to Do Not Call Registry
Forwarded email warns that a directory of cell phone numbers will soon be published and urges users to enter their cell phone numbers on the federal Do Not Call Registry to prevent calls from telemarketers. Status: Mostly false
4. SB-2099 - Bill Requiring Federal Tax on Guns
Nine-year-old email rumor claims a Senate bill has been secretly introduced which will require all U.S. citizens to list every gun they own on their federal income tax form. Status: Outdated / False
5. Breast Infestation (Photo / Video)
Emailed image and video purport to document the medical case of a female anthropologist who failed to seek treatment for a rash and wound up with an infestation of larvae in her breast. Status: Partly true
6. Mars in August
New variant of years-old email hoax repeats outdated claim that during the month of August the orbits of Mars and Earth will bring the two planets closer together than ever before in recorded history. Status: Outdated / False
7. Fourth-Grade Teacher's Letter to Obama
An open letter to President Obama attributed to Hillsboro, Missouri elementary school teacher Kathleen Lyday expresses one citizen's vehement displeasure with the way the country is being run. Status: Misattributed
8. Jamie Lee Curtis Is a Hermaphrodite
Longstanding rumors say actress Jamie Lee Curtis was born with male sex organs and underwent a sex change operation as an infant. Status: Dubious
9. Burundanga Drug Warning
Forwarded emails warn that criminals in the U.S. and Canada are using business cards impregnated with a potent street drug called burundanga (aka scopolamine) to incapacitate victims before attacking them. Status: False
10. 'Eye of God' in Outer Space (Photo)
Emailed NASA photo taken by the Hubble Space Telescope has been labeled the "Eye of God" by frequent forwarders. Status: Authentic
11. Giant Housecat (Photo)
Emailed photo of a really, really big housecat in the arms of a standard-sized human. Status: Authentic
12. Lou Pritchett's Open Letter to President Obama
Circulating via forwarded email, an open letter to President Obama by former Procter & Gamble executive Lou Pritchett enumerates the ways the newly-elected commander-in-chief scares him. Status: Authentic
13. Amazing 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). Status: Fake
14. Mr. Rogers Was a Marine Sniper / Navy Seal
Internet rumors allege that mild-mannered children's TV show host Fred Rogers had a former secret career as a trained assassin. Status: False
15. Giant Catfish (Photo)
Emailed image purportedly documents a gigantic catfish caught in Lake Texoma, Texas. Status: See details
16. Hercules, World's Biggest Dog (Photo)
Emailed image of a gargantuan dog named Hercules, purportedly the Guinness Record holder for World's Biggest Dog. Status: Fake
17. Brown Recluse Spider Bite (Photos)
Emailed pictures purport to show the progressive deterioration of a necrotic wound caused by the bite of the poisonous brown recluse spider. Status: Undetermined
18. Sarah Palin Bikini Picture
Emailed image purports to show Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin posing for a photo sporting an American flag bikini and a rifle. Status: Fake
19. World's Tallest Woman (Photos)
Emailed photos purport to show the world's tallest woman at 7 feet, 4 inches tall and 320 pounds. Status: False
20. Giant Texas Rattlesnake (Photo)
Emailed picture of a giant rattlesnake killed in Texas, allegedly measuring 9 feet 1 inch in length and weighing 97 pounds. Status: Unknown
21. Why the Ocean Is So Salty
Is it true that a blue whale produces over 400 gallons of sperm when it ejaculates, and that explains the saltiness of the ocean? Status: False
22. Richard Gere and the Gerbil
Rumors claim actor Richard Gere took a midnight ambulance ride to the emergency room, where a small, furry rodent was removed from one of his orifices. Status: False
23. Listerine Mosquito Control
Forwarded email claims spraying an outside area with Listerine mouthwash repels and/or kills every mosquito in the vicinity. Status: See details
24. Ciara's Secret Sex Change
Forwarded email claims that hip-hop/R&B star Ciara was born male and is either a secret transvestite or underwent a sex-change operation to become a transsexual. Status: False
25. Do They Eat Babies in China?
"Dear Urban Legends: I received an email last week which was quite disturbing and, to say the least, disgusting. It is about dead babies that can be bought from hospitals in Taiwan for $70 to meet the high demand for grilled and barbequed babies!" Status: False
Newly Added / Updated:
1. College Transripts Show Obama Attended as a Foreign Student
Purported AP news story claims transcripts released by Occidental College prove that Barack Obama, under the name 'Barry Soetoro,' received a Fulbright Scholarship awarded to foreign-born students only. Status: False
2. Toxic Benzene in Cars?
Forwarded email claims that car interiors contain toxic levels of cancer-causing benzene, which is used in the manufacture of dashboards, car seats, and air fresheners. It advises opening windows to expel trapped benzene before using the air conditioner or driving. Status: Partly true / Overblown
Last updated: 06/20/09
