Week ending: 07/13/08
1. 'Postcard' Virus Warning
Email alert warns of "the worst virus ever" circulating in the form of an attachment labeled "POSTCARD." Status: False
2. Amazing Tsunami Picture
Emailed image purports to show the devastating tsunami of December 26, 2004 washing ashore on the Thai island of Phuket (or Indonesia, depending on version). Status: Fake
3. Cell Phone Popcorn (Video)
Viral video purports to show a group of people aiming their cell phones at kernels of popcorn and causing them to pop. Status: Fake
4. Hercules, World's Biggest Dog (Photo)
Emailed image of a gargantuan dog named Hercules, purportedly the Guinness Record holder for World's Biggest Dog. Status: Fake
5. Breast Infestation (Photo / Video)
Emailed image and video purport to document the medical case of a female anthropologist who failed to seek treatment for a rash and wound up with an infestation of larvae in her breast. Status: Partly true
6. Jamie Lee Curtis Is a Hermaphrodite
Longstanding rumors say actress Jamie Lee Curtis was born with male sex organs and underwent a sex change operation as an infant. Status: Dubious
7. Mr. Rogers Was a Marine Sniper / Navy Seal
Mild-mannered children's TV show host Mr. Rogers was rumored to have had a secret former career as a trained assassin. Status: False
8. Bill Gates Is Sharing His Fortune!
Email claims Microsoft and AOL have merged and that Bill Gates is promising a cash reward to everyone who forwards the message to "beta test" a new software program. Status: False
9. Barack Obama Is a Muslim
Email rumor alleges that U.S. presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama is a Muslim who has lied about his religious background, including his claim to being a devout Christian. Status: False
10. Brown Recluse Spider Bite (Photos)
Emailed photos purport to show the progressive deterioration of a wound caused by the bite of the poisonous brown recluse spider. Status: Uncertain
11. Hercules the 'Liger' (Photos)
Emailed photos of a 10-foot "liger" (a cross between a lion and a tiger) named Hercules. Status: Authentic
12. 'Eye of God' in Outer Space (Photo)
Emailed NASA photo taken by the Hubble Space Telescope has been labeled the "Eye of God" by frequent forwarders. Status: Authentic
13. Camel Spiders in Iraq (Photo)
Emailed photo taken by U.S. soldiers stationed in Iraq shows a pair of deadly, flesh-eating insects known as camel spiders. Status: False caption
14. Half-Human, Half-Animal (Photo)
Circulating via email, an unsettling photograph of what appears to be a half-human, half-animal creature suckling her hybrid offspring. Status: Mislabeled
15. Nostradamus Predicted 9/11
Emailed "quatrain" purportedly written by Nostradamus predicted the 9/11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. Status: False
16. Pit Bull vs. Porcupine (Photos)
Emailed images show the result of an unfortunate encounter between a "pit bull" and a porcupine. Status: Mislabeled
17. Richard Gere and the Gerbil
Hollywood rumor claims Richard Gere was rushed to the emergency room of Cedars Sinai Hospital to have a live Gerbil extracted from his rectum. Status: False
18. Giant Catfish Caught in Lake Texoma (Photo)
Emailed photo of a huge catfish supposedly caught in Lake Texoma, Texas. Status: Mislabeled
19. World's Tallest Woman (Photos)
Emailed photos purport to show the world's tallest woman at 7 feet, 4 inches tall and 320 pounds. Status: False
20. Ciara's Secret Sex-Change Operation
Forwarded email claims hip-hop / R&B star Ciara was born a man and underwent a sex-change operation. Status: False
21. Shark Attacks Helicopter (Photo)
Photo purporting to show a great white shark lunging out of the water to attack a scuba diver dangling from a helicopter ladder. Status: Fake
22. The Truth About Pringles
Are Pringles potato chips made from leftover McDonald's french fries? Status: False
23. The Char-Broiled Scuba Diver
The charred remains of a scuba diver were found dangling from a burnt-out tree in the aftermath of a forest fire. Status: False
24. World Record Grizzly Bear (Photos)
Emailed pictures of a giant, 1,600-pound, man-eating grizzly bear allegedly killed in Alaska by a hunter or Forest Service employee. Status: Partly true
25. Listerine as Mosquito Repellent
Forwarded email claims spraying an outside area with Listerine mouthwash repels and/or kills every mosquito in the vicinity. Status: Dubious
Newly Added / Updated:
1. Christian the Lion (Video)
Viral video tells the true, heartwarming tale of the reunion between Christian the Lion and the two men who adopted him as a cub in the 1970s. Status: True
2. Obama: 'I've Visited 57 States'
Forwarded email quotes a campaign-weary Barack Obama saying he has campaigned (or plans to campaign) in 'all 57 states.' Lo and behold, allegedly, it turns out there are 57 Islamic states. Status: Partly true
3. UPS Virus Warning
UPS has issued a warning about a new computer virus circulating as an attachment to emails purporting to originate from the "UPS Packet Service." The warning is authentic. The virus is real. Status: True
