Subject: Be Careful at the Gas Pump

[HwyCruiser]

I received this e-mail at work today... scary stuff.

-JD

>Subject: Be Careful at the Gas Pump
>
>
>Warning:
> > >
> > > >Look at the gas pump handle BEFORE you pump your gas. Please read
>and
> > > forward
> > > >to anyone you know who drives a car. My name is Captain Abraham
>Sands
> > > of the
> > > >Jacksonville, Florida Police Department. I have been asked by
state
>and
> > >
> > > >local authorities to write this email in order to get the word out

>to
> > > >car drivers of a very dangerous prank that is occurring in
numerous
> > > states.
> > > >Some person or persons have been affixing hypodermic needles to
the
> > > >underside of gas pump handles! These needles appear to be infected
>with
> > >
> > > >HIV positive blood. In the Jacksonville area alone there have been

>17
> > > >cases of people beingstuck by these needles over the past five
>months.
> > > >We have verified reportsof at least 12 others in various states
>around
> > > >the country. It is believed that these may be copycat incidents
due
>to
> > > >someone reading about the crimes or seeing them reported on the
> > > >television. At this point no one has been arrested and catching
the
> > > >perpetrator(s) has become our top priority. Shockingly, of the 17
> > > >people who where stuck, 8 have tested HIV positive and because of
>the
> > > >nature of the disease, the others could test positive in a couple
> > > >years. evidently the consumers go to fill their car with gas, and
>when
> > > >picking up the pump handle get stuck with the infected needle. IT
>IS
> > > >IMPERATIVE TO CAREFULLY CHECK THE HANDLE of the gas pump each time
>you
> > > >use one. LOOK AT EVERY SURFACE YOUR HAND MAY TOUCH, INCLUDING
UNDER
>THE
> > >
> > > >HANDLE! If you do find a needle affixed to one, immediately
contact
> > > >your local police department so they can collect the evidence.
> > > >
> > > >PLEASE HELP US BY MAINTAINING A VIGILANCE, AND BY FORWARDING THIS
>EMAIL
> > >
> > > >TO ANYONE YOU KNOW WHO DRIVES. THE MORE PEOPLE WHO KNOW OF THIS,
>THE
> > > >BETTER PROTECTED WE CAN ALL BE.
> > > >
> > > >Rose Lambert
> > > >Chief Aide to Supervisor
> > > >Gerry Hyland Mount Vernon District
> > > >2511 Parkers Lane
> > > >Alexandria, VA 22306
> > > >
> > > >PLEASE READ THIS AND PASS IT ON TO EVERYONE IN YOUR ADDRESS
>BOOK!!!!
>

[HwyCruiser]

Of course it's all over the internet hoax sites. Just makes you wonder though...

-JD

[Redster]

This story may be exaggerated, but like many urban legends there is an element of truth. I know of documented (i.e. with photos) cases of sharp objects (razor blades) being taped on to handles of various items.

[TAF]

Fiction

http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors...idaneedles.htm

[martyo]

Urban Legend.....

[HwyCruiser]

I guess this hoax started in June of 2000.

http://urbanlegends.about.com/librar.../aa061400a.htm

Someone must be dusting it off every now and then. It made it through our company's e-(chain)mail almost the entire day before someone slapped the first guy who pass it on. Should have seen the apology e-mail!

-JD

[hitchhiker]

This reminds me of pay phone pranks from the 60's only much more scary!

I have heard stories from long ago about nasty and harmful thyings being
placed in the coin return slots of payphones and vending machines.

This is SICK!

I hope they catch the bastards going this!

Regards,

David

[Bigdogjim]

This is a bad as the people who rip the whole page out of a phone book!

[jgc61sr2002]

Razor blades taped to door handles was a problem during the 80's in NYC.

[TripleTransAm]

Rule of thumb: anytime you receive an email that recommends you pass it on to:
1) everyone in your address book
2) anyone you care about
3) 50 of your friends otherwise your ***** will shrivel up (N/A for Todd)
4) as many people as possible because Microsoft is tracking the email and will donate $5 every time the email is forwarded to a fund to help Little Frankie cure his terrible case of Inverted Gerbillitis

...it's a hoax.

Oh yeah, don't trust any Nigerians with rich dead parents either...

[martyo]

3) 50 of your friends otherwise your ***** will shrivel up (N/A for Todd)

/Steve I have trained you well.

[Marauderjack]

The HIV virus cannot live below body temperature....

If it could mosquitos would infect the whole world!!!

My question is if a mosquito bites and infected person and the ambient temperature is in the upper 90's....can the mosquito infect everyone he bites??

SCAREY!!!

Marauderjack

[dwasson]

****************************** ****************************** ******
WARNING, CAUTION, DANGER, AND BEWARE!
Gullibility Virus Spreading over the Internet!
****************************** ****************************** ******

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

It *is* possible to design responsible alerts for people to circulate
on the Internet. Here is a how-to that draws positive conclusions from
long experience with the evils of badly designed alerts:

Designing Effective Action Alerts for the Internet at
http://weber.ucsd.edu/~pagre/alerts.html

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.

****************************** ****************************** ******
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! Lots!! NOT TO MENTION "ALL-CAPS" TOO!!!!!
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.)
****************************** ****************************** ******

ACT NOW! DON'T DELAY! LIMITED TIME ONLY! NOT SOLD IN ANY STORE!