Consumer Fraud Reporting
Urban Legends
Reporting on the Latest Frauds, Scams, Fake Lotteries, Spams and Hoaxes

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Urban Legends

Urban Legends are anecdotal stories that many people assume are true because they have heard them so many times; but in reality and simply hoaxes and deliberate or unintentional misinformation. A classic example is the story of the woman who tried to dry her small dog or cat in the microwave. Here are many others and the proofs that they are false.

Here are the top Urban Legends from Snopes.com ( http://www.snopes.com/info/topsearches.asp - great site, that focuses on urban legends - check them out!)

  1. DON'T EVER DIAL AREA CODE  809 , 284  AND 876  
  2. Target stores do not "support veterans"
  3. Missing child: Penny Brown
  4. Bill Gates pays cash for forwarding e-mail from Microsoft/AOL/Intel
  5. Sears' payment of military reservist employees
  6. Women are being robbed by parking lot crooks with knock-out perfume samples
  7. FDA recall of products containing phenylpropanolamine (PPA)
  8. 'Crying baby' serial killer warning
  9. Missing UPS uniforms warning
  10. Computer virus: Life is Beautiful.pps
  11. Members of Congress don't pay into Social Security
  12. Pepsi cans and the Pledge of Allegiance
  13. Free gift certificates for Applebee's restaurant
  14. USPS stamp commemorates Muslim holidays
  15. Abercrombie & Fitch racy Christmas catalog
  16. Woman escapes from rapist by calling #77
  17. Telephone scam: #-9-0

Copyright CFR 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009  - Definition of scam, fraud, etc. -  Legal disclaimer / corrections / complaints  -  Privacy Policy
Names used by scammers in the examples on this page and others often belong to real people and businesses who often have no knowledge of nor connection to the scammer's use of their name and information.  Sample scam emails and other documents are copies of the scam to help potential victims recognize and avoid it.  You should presume that any names used and presented here in a scam are either fictitious or used without their legitimate owner's permission.
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