Do you always check Snopes.com before forwarding e-mails?

[EsmeraldaX]

I can't even count how many times per day I receive some email forward (chain email) full of false information, or some sort of scam.

I ALWAYS check www.snopes.com to check and see if this info in the email is true or not.

Snopes looks into e-mail chain letters and debunks myths and scams. Some of the ones that they most frequently investigate are the "pleas for help" from parents who have sick children and are looking for donations. They also look into political, technological and downright random stuff as well.

I just got another one from my aunt that was plea from someone to help their sick kid and it was clearly debunked on snopes. Sick as it is that people make up horrible stories about ill children to make a scam, I'm glad that Snopes is out there doing what they do.

Next time you get an email proclaiming facts or a plea that has been forwarded, and forwarded, and forwarded, check Snopes.com before forwarding it on to other people.

I usually just use their "search" function, but you can browse the listings too. They even have a section of Disney Myths & urban Legends. It's pretty interesting.

Okay. I hope this didn't sound snippy, I just am sooo sick of getting these forwards and I know I'm not the only one.

 

[jeleebeene]

I do. A friend told me about snopes.com a couple of years ago, and I have been using it ever since. I am too gullible, and would forward anything - now, I hardly send anything anymore, as most of it is bogus!

 

[BedKnobbery2]

You bet I do! I have no compunction about sending the link to whatever urban legend it covers (and it always does) to the original sender of the email, either.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Originally posted by BedKnobbery2
You bet I do! I have no compunction about sending the link to whatever urban legend it covers (and it always does) to the original sender of the email, either.

I always do this too, yet the same aunt continues to send me this stuff, every day... It's so annoying. I have taken now to hitting "reply all" and sending the link and the text debunking whatever the urban legend is. If they want to think I'm rude, so be it. I can't stand when misinformation is forwarded to people via these chain letters.

 

[caitycaity]

i hardly ever forward any of those types of emails, true or not. it drives me crazy when my friends send them to me!

 

[UncleKyle]

I check everytime as well. Sick and tired of the "true" stories I recieve.

 

[MHopkins2]

I just go on the assumption that they're ALL fake, and delete without further thought.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Originally posted by MHopkins2
I just go on the assumption that they're ALL fake, and delete without further thought.

I often do that as well. Sometimes though, I check Snopes anyway, just so I can respond to the person who sent it andtry to encourage them not to forward stuff without checking.

 

[Eeyore1954]

Originally posted by EsmeraldaX
I often do that as well. Sometimes though, I check Snopes anyway, just so I can respond to the person who sent it andtry to encourage them not to forward stuff without checking.

Me, too (I also check urbanlegends.com). The absolute worst culprit in my family is my dear MIL ... she will forward ANYTHING and EVERYTHING without a 2nd thought. I've encouraged her over and over to check it out first, but no way ... just click forward and fire away.

(Don't get me started about her not bothering to remove the 250K of email addresses before forwarding this trash to me and filling up my email in box daily. )

I'd put her on my banned list if she weren't family.

 

[Virgo10]

Thanks for the post. It reminded me to check an email I got the other day about a blood test for ovarian cancer.

Blaaat! Urban Legend. I just forwarded the Snopes link to a whole bunch of people who got that email the same time I did.

Here's the link for anyone who's interested.

http://www.snopes.com/toxins/ca125.htm

Roberta

 

[Serena]

I rarely receive forwarded emails anymore. The people that email me hate them as much as I do, for the most part.

 

[MHopkins2]

Originally posted by EsmeraldaX
I often do that as well. Sometimes though, I check Snopes anyway, just so I can respond to the person who sent it andtry to encourage them not to forward stuff without checking.

I used to do that - but my family and friends are so honking STUBBORN,* it didn't make any difference.

* I'm sure you're all shocked that my relatives, in particular, are stubborn folks.

 

[gymnasticsmom68]

Originally posted by caitycaity
i hardly ever forward any of those types of emails, true or not. it drives me crazy when my friends send them to me!

Me too, I never forward them.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I check Snopes before I go on the DIS.

 

[caitycaity]

Originally posted by Eeyore1954
Me, too (I also check urbanlegends.com). The absolute worst culprit in my family is my dear MIL ... she will forward ANYTHING and EVERYTHING without a 2nd thought. I've encouraged her over and over to check it out first, but no way ... just click forward and fire away.

(Don't get me started about her not bothering to remove the 250K of email addresses before forwarding this trash to me and filling up my email in box daily. )

I'd put her on my banned list if she weren't family.

i wonder of this is a something common in MIL's. mine (both of them!) are guilty as charged.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Originally posted by caitycaity
i wonder of this is a something common in MIL's. mine (both of them!) are guilty as charged.

My mom does it all the time too.

 

[tjmw2727]

Originally posted by caitycaity
i wonder of this is a something common in MIL's. mine (both of them!) are guilty as charged.

Same here, I have forwarded her the snopes site 4+ times and my BIL has read her the riot act after cleaning out her viruses for the millionth time.

The thing is, she will not only forward me (and 40 of her other closest friends) these things but will have a short note and a cute picture of my neice or nephew or something on the bottom. So when I delete it, which I do, I also miss something good.

She is sweet and wonderful but I wish she would separate the personal e's from the forwarded ones.... /rant

TJ

 

[Beth76]

No, I don't check snopes, I automatically assume those things are false. I do enjoy that website though.

 

[MosMom]

Yes, and I tell my in-laws to do the same. My husband's aunt is constantly sending stuff about how Harry Potter is evil and they are speaking in tongues throughout the movie. I tell her I've SEEN the movie and they are not. She refuses to actually watch the movie or read the books but she believes anything she reads on the internet. Drives me nuts.

 

[Aimeedyan]

MY MIL DOES IT TOO! Well, actually, she does but no longer sends them to me. Evidentally, I ticked her off once when I sent back an email with the link to snopes debunking some urban legend she had sent out to a million people, and she was offended by it. I found this out through my husband, of course. From then on, I rarely get forwards from her - but DH does =) FINE BY ME!

I usually don't have the time to check things, so unless it's a particular one that ticks me off, I just delete them before I even open them.

I wish people weren't so gullible - drives me crazy.