WHY do people forward emails without checking for validity??

[Mermaid02]

Got the "UPS uniforms have been bought on Ebay" one from the inlaws.... We always send them the snopes article saying these things are untrue... and yet the continue to forward them like crazy. I hate getting this crap. You'd think after a while they'd feel stupid. Just because you get an email- doesn't mean it's true. End of rant.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

I totally hear you. My MIL is the exact same way.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I had someone ask me "how do I know Snopes is true?"

Well I guess I trust a website that researches information and provides links more than a random e-mail forwarded in cyberspace to the gullible.

 

[shirleyb]

I have the same problem with a friend and a family member. Sometimes I tell them it's not true, and sometimes I don't bother, but I rarely forward anything, so at least I'm not perpetuating the cycle.

 

[Mermaid02]

I have the same problem with a friend and a family member. Sometimes I tell them it's not true, and sometimes I don't bother, but I rarely forward anything, so at least I'm not perpetuating the cycle.

A joke or a story has to be pretty funny before I forward it. Truthfully, mostly I don't even read them "delete" is a wonderful thing.

 

[noodleknitter]

Too many of the people I know have never even heard of Snopes. They look at me like I have two heads when I ask if they checked there! This especially includes the older people I know.

 

[KelNottAt]

UGH! I hate those messages.

Your kidneys have been stolen...throw away all your meds that contain (an ingredient that's been off the market for years)...sign this petition...don't buy gas on a certain day....

Please...make...it....stop...

I gave up referring people to Snopes. They just get insulted that I don't trust their source. So now everything goes in the trash. I don't reply or forward.

So there.

 

[rie'smom]

My dad sends me these emails every day! Now,I just flush 'em.

 

[Allison]

UGH! I hate those messages.

Your kidneys have been stolen...throw away all your meds that contain (an ingredient that's been off the market for years)...sign this petition...don't buy gas on a certain day....

Please...make...it....stop...

I gave up referring people to Snopes. They just get insulted that I don't trust their source. So now everything goes in the trash. I don't reply or forward.

So there.

I had a staff member forward the one about meds to everyone else. So, I then had to point out that all of those things are not true and are email urban legend. I did direct them to a website that had the top 20 email hoaxes on it.

 

[DancingBear]

Some people have no skepticism filter. Our former office manager sent this type of thing around regularly--including the classics "don't use cell phone while pumping gas (causes explosions)" and "Bill Gates is giving away his fortune." I always sent the Snopes link immediately thereafter.

I can only assume that it's all these folks that are sending their bank acount info to Nigerians.

 

[orljustin]

Other people are morons. We're all the smart ones.

 

[Breezy_Carol]

Other people are morons. We're all the smart ones.

 

[Chicago526]

A friend of mine used to send 3 or 4 a week. I started to reply and tell her Snopes said they were all untrue, after the third one I myth-busted she stoped sending them (to me at least, I hope she stoped sending them period but I doubt it!).

 

[My2Cinderellas]

back when I got several of these every day, I'd do a "reply to all" with the snopes link and a brief message about how this was not true. only had 1 person get annoyed with me. she of course was the worst offender who spammed at least 50 people with each message.

now I'm down to 1 a month or so.

 

[Towncrier]

My MIL doesn't do email, but one of her friends that does oftentimes prints out these urban legend emails and passes them off to her. MIL came to Thanksgiving at our house with one and tried to pass it off as gospel. It isn't bad enough that my inbox is full of this junk. Now my MIL is bringing over hardcopies. Sheesh.

 

[dolphinrescuegirl]

I used to forward these all the time until my Dad taught me about Snopes. Now I always check Snopes and 99% are found to be false. I'm glad that I broke out of that cycle.

 

[kelleigh1]

I'm a Snopes.com regular, checking things and informing the misinformed. I've never had anyone get upset with me. Some have been grateful that I pointed out the snopes site to them.

 

[MushyMushy]

I wish my forwarders would get my Snopes hints! They never do. My inbox is still cluttered with crap.

 

[MOMTOMOOTOO]

Enlighten me.......... what is this one about? UPS uniforms have been bought on Ebay

 

[alabamaalan]

back when I got several of these every day, I'd do a "reply to all" with the snopes link and a brief message about how this was not true. only had 1 person get annoyed with me.

I was new to email when I did this as well and lost a friendship over it because she felt I made her look foolish.

Now, if I comment at all, it is only to the person who sent it to me.

My boss sends things to me to check their authenticity though.