Current Netlore: Latest Additions
Internet hoaxes, email rumors and urban legends
Updated: 07/01/08
Propane Tank Warning
Email alert warns purchasers of propane tanks to avoid buying tanks with blue or green residue around the valve, an indication they may be contaminated with anhydrous ammonia. (Added 07/01/08)
Obama Isn't a U.S. Citizen
Email rumor claims that Barack Obama is ineligible to become president because according to the laws in effect at the time of his birth he is not a natural-born citizen of the U.S. (Added 06/25/08)
'Ball Girl' Video
Turns out that amazing YouTube video of a ball girl kung-fu climbing the outfield wall to catch a high-flying foul was staged as a marketing gimmick for Gatorade. Is anyone surprised? (Added 06/25/08)
Obama Changes Presidential Seal
Email flier says Barack Obama used a podium featuring an altered version of the Presidential Seal during a June 2008 campaign appearance. (Added 06/24/08)
Einstein Proves the Existence of God
In this emailed anecdote by an unknown author, a university student named Albert Einstein humiliates his atheist professor by proving that God exists. (Added 06/20/08)
John McCain's Sons
Forwarded email states that three of Republican presidential candidate John McCain's sons are in the military, and one, Jimmy McCain, served as a Marine infantryman in Iraq. (Added 06/16/08)
Best Buy Return Policy
Forwarded email recounts a customer's nightmarish experience attempting to return merchandise and obtain a cash refund at a Best Buy store. (Added 06/07/08)
Texas Oil Rig Twister (Photo)
Emailed photo purportedly shows a huge nighttime tornado illuminated by a lightning bolt near an oil rig south of Ft. Stockton, Texas. (Added 05/24/08)
A Needle Can Save the Life of a Stroke Victim
Misinformative email flier claims pricking a stroke victim's fingers and ear lobes with a pin or needle until they bleed will relieve symptoms of paralysis, restore consciousness, and allow the patient to be safely moved. (Added 05/21/08)
Cheating at Gas Pumps
Email rumor claims a consumer was cheated by a rigged gas pump while refueling at a BP service station in Cartersville, Georgia. (Added 05/13/08)
Mountain Lion Killed in West Va. (Photos)
Emailed photos show an unusually large mountain lion (cougar) allegedly killed between Grantsville and Walker near Parkersburg, West Virginia. (Added 05/12/08)
Listerine as Mosquito Repellent
Forwarded email claims spraying an outside area with Listerine mouthwash repels and/or kills every mosquito in the vicinity. (Added 05/07/08)
Bankruptcies and Gift Cards
Email flier lists several companies that have supposedly filed for bankruptcy, warning that gift cards from these businesses won't be valid for much longer. (Added 05/06/08)
The Obama / Kenya Connection
Emailed letter from American missionaries in Kenya claims Barack Obama is a racist Muslim who fomented political chaos in Africa and is dedicated to worldwide jihad. (Added 04/30/08)
ProMeris Safety Warning
Forwarded email warns pet owners of possible health hazards associated with using ProMeris flea and tick treatments based on the author's personal experience with adverse reactions. (Added 04/24/08)
Tips on Pumping Gas
Forwarded email purports to share a petroleum industry insider's tips for saving money at the gas pump. (Added 04/24/08)
Phil Mickelson's Gambling Debts
Did pro golfer Phil Mickelson really rack up a $200,000 debt betting on his own performance in a practice round against three other players in Augusta, Georgia? (Added 04/22/08)
What to Do in Case of Snake Attack
Forwarded email purports to share instructions from a U.S. government Peace Corp manual on what to do if an anaconda or python attacks you in the wild. (Added 04/19/08)
Obama Explains National Anthem Stance
Circulating via email, an alleged quote from Barack Obama explains why he doesn't wear a flag pin or salute the flag during the national anthem. (Added 04/18/08)
Yale 'Abortion Art' Project
Yale art student claims her senior project will document her artificially impregnating herself and inducing miscarriages. (Added 04/17/08)
Fake Amber Alert via Text Message
False messages claiming two girls were kidnapped by the driver of a brown Jeep Liberty are circulating via cell phone text messages. (Added 04/17/08)
Starving Dog as Art (Photos)
Forwarded email urges recipients to sign a petition preventing artist 'Habacuc' Guillermo Vargas (aka 'Habakkuk') from participating in the Central American Biennial of Art because he created an exhibition in which a stray dog was allegedly starved to death in the name of art. (Added 04/16/08)
Elephant Painting Self-Portrait (Video)
Viral video appears to show an elephant painting a "self-portrait" unguided by human hands. (Added 04/11/08)
Naked Woman Reflected in Dick Cheney's Sunglasses? (Photo)
A photo released by the White House of U.S. Vice-President Dick Cheney on a fishing trip in Idaho appears to show the blurry reflection of a naked woman (among other possibilities) in the dark sunglasses he is wearing. (Added 04/11/08)
'Mail Server Report' Virus Warning
A potentially destructive Internet virus (or "worm") is propagating via emails sporting the header "Mail Server Report." However, a newer version of the warning circulating since March 2008 contains erroneous information. (Updated 03/08/08)
Snoop Dogg Converts to Mormonism
Phony Web page claims rapper Snoop Dogg has decided to convert to the Mormon faith. (Added 04/03/08)
Car-Bumping Gang Initiation Rite
Forwarded email warns that MS-13 gang members are participating in a 'gang initiation rite' wherein they rear-end a car from behind and then shoot the driver when he or she exits the vehicle to check for damage. (Added 03/28/08)
Barack Obama Antichrist
Email rumor claims charismatic U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama is the Antichrist prophesied in the New Testament. (Added 03/27/08)
Judge Forbids Black Mothers from Naming Own Children
Emailed "news item" claims a U.S. federal judge has ruled that due to the proliferation of "ridiculous names," poverty-stricken black women no longer have the right to christen their own children. (Added 03/25/08)
Obama on the Phone (Photo)
Emailed photo shows presidential candidate Barack Obama speaking on the phone while apparently holding the receiver upside-down. (Added 03/25/08)
'Frozen Wave' Photos
Emailed photos purport to show a 'frozen wave' or 'ice wave' frozen in mid-air by sub-zero temperatures in Antarctica, Lake Huron, or Lake Michigan, depending on version. (Added 03/19/08)
'Creepy Gnome' Video
Viral video shot with a cell phone camera in Argentina purports to show a "creepy gnome" which as been terrorizing the local populace. (Added 03/14/08)
Exxon Mobil Gas Boycott
Current variant of a chain letter campaign urging consumers to boycott gasoline from Exxon Mobil due to skyrocketing gas prices. (Updated 03/14/08)
MasterCard Wedding
During a wedding ceremony at Clemson University, the groom interrupts the proceedings to reveal a shocking secret about the bride and the best man (Internet version of "The Bridegroom's Revenge"). (Added 03/12/08)
Bogus Obama Quote
Supposedly uttered by Barack Obama: "My friends, we live in the greatest nation in the history of the world. I hope you'll join with me as we try to change it." (Added 03/11/08)
Cougar on the Porch! (Photos)
Emailed photos taken through a screen door show a cougar (mountain lion) prowling the porch or patio of someone's home. (Added 03/05/08)
Michael Richards' Self Defense
Circulating via email, a racist rant purportedly delivered by actor/comedian Michael Richards as his 'defense speech in court' for shouting racial epithets at black audience members during a 2006 incident at an L.A. comedy club. (Added 03/04/08)
U.S. Marines Throw Puppy off a Cliff (Video)
Viral video purports to show a pair of U.S. Marines callously joking as they throw what appears to be a live puppy off a cliff somewhere in Iraq. (Added 03/04/08)
Missing Child: Jewel Strong
Email flier seeks help locating Jewel Strong, a 3-year-old girl reported missing by her family in Panama City, Florida in May 2006. (Added 02/28/08)
Lemon Slices Pose Health Risk in Restaurants
New study finds that lemon slices/wedges served as garnishes in restaurants are often contaminated with health-threatening fecal bacteria. (Added 02/27/08)
KKK Endorses Barack Obama
Emailed "news item" dated Feb. 7, 2008 claims the Imperial Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan has endorsed Barack Obama for the presidency. (Added 02/18/08)
'POSTCARD' Virus Hoax
Hoax email alert warns of 'the worst virus ever' circulating in the form of an attachment labeled "POSTCARD." (Added 02/13/08)
Car Magnets Aid Child Predators
Email purportedly written by an abducted teen warns parents not to 'publicize' the whereabouts of their kids to child predators by attaching car magnets containing info about schools and activities to their vehicles. (Added 02/12/08)
Puppy with a Heart (Photos)
Emailed photos show a chihuahua puppy born in Japan with a heart-shaped pattern in its coat. (Added 02/06/08)
More Military Casualties Under Clinton than Bush?
Email flier purports to demonstrate that there were more U.S. military casualties under the Bill Clinton administration than there have been during the Iraq War under George W. Bush. (Added 01/26/08)
'My Favorite Things' (AARP Version)
Parody of the song 'My Favorite Things' targeted to elderly people was allegedly sung by Julie Andrews at an AARP benefit on the singer's 69th birthday in October 2004. (Added 01/18/08)
'Rockhard Abs / Jason Stallings' State Police Warning
Latest version of an old email hoax warns people not to reply to messages from a person using the screen name "Rockhard abs" or "Jason Stallings," supposedly a suspect in the murders of several women he met online. (Added 01/16/08)
Obama's Church
Email rumor labels presidential candidate Barack Obama a racist for attending a church that describes itself as "unashamedly black" with a "non-negotiable commitment to Africa." (Added 01/08/08)
'I Buy Strays' Website
Ibuystrays.com purports to offer cash for unwanted pets to be resold to companies engaged in animal experimentation. (Added 01/03/08)
'Facebook Is Overpopulated' Chain Letter
Chain letter circulating among Facebook members claims the service is becoming too slow due to overpopulation and members must prove they are "active" by forwarding the message to others. (Added 12/19/07)
General Giap on How U.S. Lost the Vietnam War
Netlore Archive: Bogus passage allegedly penned by former North Vietnam General Vo Nguyen Giap attributes U.S. loss of the Vietnam War to homefront disruption caused by biased media. (Added 12/13/07)
Gang Initiation Threat in Memphis
Email hoax warns that women will be targeted for gang initation violence in Memphis, Tennessee in December 2007. (Added 12/14/07)
'Merry Christmas' Virus Warning
Message beginning "Do not open any message with an attached file called 'Merry Christmas' regardless of who sent it" is a hoax. (Added 12/08/07)
The Atheists' Holiday
An atheist and his ACLU lawyer go before a judge to complain that while Christians have Christmas and Easter, and Jews have Yom Kippur and Hanukkah, there is no such holiday for atheists. (Added 12/08/07)
Univ. of Kentucky Bans Holocaust Teaching
Email chain letter urges remembrance of the Holocaust, claiming the University of Kentucky has removed all mention of the event from its school curriculum for fear of offending Muslims. (Added 12/06/07)
