Urban Legends/Hoaxs (was Re: Free stuff)

[Avery Todd]

List,

   This is just another of the "urban legends" floating around. See the
Tourbus post below.

Avery

>My wife emailed this to me to pass along.  You may want to take advantage of
>this offer.

>>>>>>>> Subject: PLEASE READ! YOU'LL BE GLAD YOU DID!
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>  Please read and forward to as many friends as possible...I've checked
>>>>>>>> this out
>>>>>>>> and it's not a BS chain letter or something...Microsoft is giving away
>>>>>>>> Win98 & $$$ if this reaches 1,000 people...duplicate entries don't
>>>>>>>> count,
>>>>>>>> though...So,
>>>>>>>> please help & pass on...thanx
>>>>>>>> here you go!!!
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> TO:*MASSAOL@aol.com <mailto:MASSAOL@aol.com>
>>>>>>>> FROM:*GatesBeta@microsoft.com
>>>>>>>>    <mailto:GatesBeta@microsoft.com>
>>>>>>>> ATTACH:*Tracklog@microsoft.com/Track883432/~TraceActive/On.html
>>>>>>>>   <mailto:Tracklog@microsoft.com/Track883432/~TraceActive/On.html
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Hello Everyone,
>>>>>>>> And thank you for signing up for my Beta Email Tracking Application
>>>>>>>> or (BETA) for short. My name is Bill Gates.  Here at Microsoft
>>>>>>>> we have just compiled an e-mail tracing program that tracks everyone
>>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>>> whom this message is forwarded to.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> It does this through an unique IP (Internet Protocol) address log
>>>>>>>> book database. We are experimenting with this and need your help.
>>>>>>>> Forward this to everyone you know and if it reaches 1000 people,
>>>>>>>> everyone on the list will receive $1000 and a copy of Windows98 at my
>>>>>>>> expense.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Enjoy.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Note: Duplicate entries will not be counted. You will be notified
>>>>>>>> by email with further instructions once this email has reached 1000
>>>>>>>> people.  Windows98 will not be shipped until it has been released to
>>>>>>>> the general public.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Your friend,
>>>>>>>> Bill Gates & The Microsoft Development Team.

============================================================================

Back on 11 December 1997, we talked about an urban legend floating
around the Net that said

     Hello everybody,

     My name is Bill Gates.  I have just written up an e-mail tracing
     program that traces everyone to whom this message is forwarded
     to.  I am experimenting with this and I need your help.  Forward
     this to everyone you know and if it reaches 1000 people everyone
     on the list will receive $1000 at my expense.  Enjoy.

     Your friend,
     Bill Gates

You will also remember that I called Microsoft back in December to
verify this story, and George Shaw, a spokesperson for Microsoft, told
me that the story is "officially not true."

Well, it seems that the "Bill Gates' $1000 email tracing program" hoax
recently morphed ... twice.  The first new story floating around the
Net is that in addition to $1000, Mr. Bill "custard face" Gates is
also going to send the first thousand people who respond to his email
a free copy of Windows 98 (a.k.a. "Macintosh 87").  The second
"morphization" congratulates you for being one of the first thousand
people to respond to Bill's email, and tells you that all that you
need to do to claim your prize is reply with your credit card number
and expiration date so that Bill can credit your account.  [If you are
dumb enough to fall for that last one, please remove yourself from the
gene pool.]

For the record, _ALL_ of the "Bill Gates' $1000 email tracing program"
stories are 100% untrue.  You can find out more about this hoax on the
Web at

     http://urbanlegends.miningco.com/library/blgates.htm

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___________________________
Avery Todd, RPT
Moores School of Music
University of Houston
Houston, TX 77204-4893
713-743-3226
atodd@uh.edu
http://www.music.uh.edu/

MUSIC DEFINITIONS:
   Accidentals : the wrong notes.