DETECTING E-MAIL HOAXES

Being cautious and skeptical can help you detect hoaxes and scams in e-mail. Here's some advice from the myth-busting sites Snopes and Urban Legends, and the Cleveland Public Library:

Be skeptical of chain letters. The more something has been forwarded, the more likely it is to be false.

Look for multiple exclamation points and capital letters.

Be suspicious of such telltale phrases as "Forward this to everyone you know," "This is NOT a hoax" or "This is NOT an urban legend."

Check references. Hoaxes normally do not cite verifiable evidence or link to sites with corroborating information.

Check stories on sites devoted to tracking down rumors, hoaxes and legends: www.snopes.com, urbanlegends.about.com, www.breakthechain.org, www.scambusters.org and www.truthorfiction.com.