How to Forward E-mails Responsibly

This could also very well be titled "How to search for an e-mail hoax". Everyone should be able to find the truth behind these sorts on emails on their own, not by merely shrugging, clicking FW, adding a bunch of e-mail addresses, and hitting send. I'm the one responsible for creating an image to maybe help people understand how to deal with e-mails like these. I also don't always have the time to help my mom.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• a questionable e-mail claiming to watch out for other e-mails or attachments and to better forward the email to everyone you know because it's "better safe than sorry".

1. COPY a key phrase from the questionable e-mail and PASTE into a search engine. (Google, Yahoo, etc...)
2. Notice the names of the websites that come up in the search. (snopes.com, www.breakthechain.org, www.hoax-slayer.com...)
3. Notice the subcategories. (Example: www.trendmicro.com/vinfo/hoaxes/hoaxDetails, Notice the "vinfo/hoaxes/hoaxDetails")
4. Notice how many “this is false” type key words you see on the first page of the results. If you are satisfied that the results confirm that the e-mail forward is false, don't forward the e-mail.
5. Do this for yourself for EVERY E-MAIL similar to this one! These e-mails are annoying!! Especially stop sending these types of e-mails to my mom, because she’ll send them to me and because no one bothers to ‘cut and paste’ the text or Bcc (blind carbon copy) the e-mail addresses, I’ll personally send spam to all of the shown addresses that were forwarded to me.
6. Copy and Paste this web address and send this to people who send you these types of e-mails.

Tips & Warnings

• If you're not convinced the questionable e-mail is true, come to a conclusion with another person before deciding to forward it to everyone you know.
• When you click on the FW button, remember to copy the text in the e-mail first, delete the text in the composition (to delete anyone's email address as well as annoying indents), then paste.
• Whenever sending mass e-mails, place addresses in the Bcc box (blind carbon copy), this means the addresses you type in won't be seen by anyone receiving the e-mail.