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 WARNING, CAUTION, DANGER, AND BEWARE!
 Gullibility Virus Spreading over the Internet!
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 WASHINGTON, D.C.--The Institute for the Investigation of Irregular
 Internet Phenomena announced today that many Internet users are
 becoming infected by a new virus that causes them to believe without 
 question every groundless story, legend, and dire warning that shows 
 up in their inbox or on their browser. The Gullibility Virus, as it 
 is called, apparently makes people believe and forward copies of 
 silly hoaxes relating to cookie recipes, email viruses, taxes on 
 modems, and get-rich-quick schemes. "These are not just readers of 
 tabloids or people who buy lottery tickets based on fortune cookie 
 numbers," a spokesman said. "Most are otherwise normal people, who 
 would laugh at the same stories if told to them by a stranger on a 
 street corner." However, once these same people become infected with 
 the Gullibility Virus, they believe anything they read on the Internet.

 "My immunity to tall tales and bizarre claims is all gone," reported
 one weeping victim. "I believe every warning message and sick child 
 story my friends forward to me, even though most of the messages are
 anonymous."

 Another victim, now in remission, added, "When I first heard about
 Good Times, I just accepted it without question. After all, there 
 were dozens of other recipients on the mail header, so I thought the 
 virus must be true." It was a long time, the victim said, before she 
 could stand up at a Hoaxees Anonymous meeting and state, "My name is 
 Jane, and I've been hoaxed." Now, however, she is spreading the word. 
 "Challenge and check whatever you read," she says. 

 Internet users are urged to examine themselves for symptoms of the
 virus, which include the following:

      the willingness to believe improbable stories without thinking
      the urge to forward multiple copies of such stories to others
      a lack of desire to take three minutes to check to see if a
      story is true

 T. C. is an example of someone recently infected. He told one reporter, 
 "I read on the Net that the major ingredient in almost all shampoos
 makes your hair fall out, so I've stopped using shampoo." When told
 about the Gullibility Virus, T. C. said he would stop reading email,
 so that he would not become infected.

 Anyone with symptoms like these is urged to seek help immediately.
 Experts recommend that at the first feelings of gullibility, Internet
 users rush to their favorite search engine and look up the item
 tempting them to thoughtless credence. Most hoaxes, legends, and tall 
 tales have been widely discussed and exposed by the Internet community.

 Courses in critical thinking are also widely available, and there is
 online help from many sources, including

      Department of Energy Computer Incident Advisory Capability at
 http://ciac.llnl.gov/ciac/CIACHoaxes.html
      
      Symantec Anti Virus Research Center at
 http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/index.html
      
      McAfee Associates Virus Hoax List at
 http://www.mcafee.com/support/hoax.html
      
      Dr. Solomons Hoax Page at
 http://www.drsolomons.com/vircen/hoax.html
      
      The Urban Legends Web Site at http://www.urbanlegends.com
      
      Urban Legends Reference Pages at http://www.snopes.com
      
      Datafellows Hoax Warnings at
 http://www.Europe.Datafellows.com/news/hoax.htm

 Those people who are still symptom free can help inoculate
 themselves against the Gullibility Virus by reading some good 
 material on evaluating sources, such as

      Evaluating Internet Research Sources at
 http://www.sccu.edu/faculty/R_Harris/evalu8it.htm
      
      Evaluation of Information Sources at
 http://www.vuw.ac.nz/~agsmith/evaln/evaln.htm
      
      Bibliography on Evaluating Internet Resources at
 http://refserver.lib.vt.edu/libinst/critTHINK.HTM

 Lastly, as a public service, Internet users can help stamp out the
 Gullibility Virus by sending copies of this message to anyone who
 forwards them a hoax.

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 This message is so important, we're sending it anonymously! Forward
 it to all your friends right away! Don't think about it! This is not a
 chain letter! This story is true! Don't check it out! This story is
 so timely, there is no date on it! This story is so important, we're
 using lots of exclamation points! For every message you forward to some
 unsuspecting person, the Home for the Hopelessly Gullible will donate
 ten cents to itself. (If you wonder how the Home will know you are
 forwarding these messages all over creation, you're obviously
 thinking too much.)
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