|
|
|
|
Jon Richardson takes up the issue of being the victim of an email hoax in this plain English article he wrote himself. Humor is part of human nature, isn’t it? We find things to laugh at and our world doesn’t feel as cold and lonely.
But, it’s no fun to be made the butt of someone else’s joke. That’s where this little letter attempts to forearm you.
You probably know what a computer virus is… a program that pops up annoying screens, infects files, destroys data, or corrupts your hard drive. But what about Internet hoaxes, what are they?
Like my dictionary says, they are practical jokes, “intended to deceive or trick…” Typically, the hoaxes I see most include the following:
What I stand to gain if I do send it out to everyone I know is the discomfort of having to send another note, usually an apology, for being tricked into sending them an Email Hoax… usually after someone who knows better replies to say “that is a hoax!”
I look at every piece of email I get with a critical eye if it contains any of these elements. Then I go to a really valuable website to check out the story:
The site is affiliated with the US Department of Energy, and provides a handy search engine. I usually pick out a key phrase from the email (suspected hoax) and paste it into the search box. It only takes a minute, and saves me from looking silly in front of all my friends and associates. Here is the text of what many consider the original email hoax, an imaginary virus named “Goodtimes.” Courtesy of the Hoaxbusters website we bring you the original text of the Goodtimes Virus, circa 1994: "Here is some important information. Beware of a file
called Goodtimes. Did you feel a little off balance? An effective hoax shakes you up and confuses you. The newer versions are even funnier… but you can search for them on Hoaxbusters yourself, if you're interested. My purpose in writing to you is in the hope it will save you some embarrassment, and maybe provide you a little amusement, as you begin to explore the depths of human trickery, ingenuity, and tomfoolery! Jon Richardson Wayne Van Dyke's book "Your First $50,000 Online"
An amazing book about how to actually make money on the Internet
The Organizational Wizards - www.RescueMyOffice.com (Nancy Richardson)
Shaklee Air Purifier - www.BeaconLighthouse.com (Airsource 3000) PacificClean Online Store - www.Shaklee.net/PacificClean (Clean & Healthy Products)
|
© 2007 Jon Richardson
|
