Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Myths and rumors make their way to Strongsville via email, social media
Heard any good urban legends lately? You know, like the one about Cedar Point having to shut down Top Thrill Dragster because it's sinking into the ground. Or remember the one about people supposedly hiding under cars in mall parking lots and slashing your ankles? Or the one about a gang initiation where someone would flash his headlights at you at night, and if you stopped, they'd kill you? When Westfield SouthPark mall opened, a rumor spread like wildfire locally about the owners having to close the upper floor because of structural defects. That was apparently spurred by the fact that in some areas of the second level, you can feel vibrations in the floor. The website Snopes.com compiles and debunks urban legends, rumors, myths and …
Monday, August 29, 2011
Con artists are preying on people trying to help
You get an e-mail from someone in Nigeria promising a huge reward if you help him transfer money from his homeland. OK, you're not falling for that one. Everyone knows it's a scam. But suppose you get a phone call from your nephew or your grandson saying he's in jail and needs $5,100 to make bail. Or a text from your brother saying he's in England and was mugged and urgently needs some cash to get home. The "family member in distress" scam is hot right now, according to Snopes.com, the website devoted to debunking urban legends and rumors. Unlike other scams that prey on people trying to get something for nothing, this one victimizes "who are motivated only by a good-hearted desire to help out those in need," the site says. Strongsville …
Monday, July 25, 2011
No such thing as an 800 law for U.S. customer service
The latest suspect email making the local rounds claims you that any time you call an 800 number and get someone who speaks with an accent, you can demand to talk with an employee in the United States. The message says that if you call a company's customer service department are get connected to someone in India -- or another country -- you can ask to speak to someone in the U.S. "You will immediately be connected to a rep in the USA," it says. "That's the rule and the law." Pass the email along to 10 people, it urges. "Imagine how that would ultimately impact the number of U.S. jobs that would need to be created," it says. Maybe, it it were true. Snopes.com, the site that investigates rumors and debunks urban legends, says there is no …
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Message claims gangsters are luring women with fake baby.
An official-looking email making the rounds in Strongsville claims gang members are trying to lure women out of their cars by leaving a carseat, partly covered with blankets, on the side of the road. When women stop to check, they are dragged into the woods and raped as part of a gang initiation. Or not. The email appears to be yet another urban legend -- a story that sounds plausible but actually has no basis in truth. "I'm sure if that had happened, we'd have heard about it, and we haven't," Strongsville Detective Lt. John Janowski said. The email circulating here says it was sent by the Office of the Attorney General in Jackson, MS. But according to the website snopes.com, which investigates urban legends and hoaxes, this one started in…
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Rumor has been going around since 2003
An e-mail circulating in the area again claims $32,000 worth of United Parcel Service uniforms were recently purchased for huge prices on eBay, leading to speculation they are being worn by terrorists. The e-mails look official and usually indicate that a shipment of UPS uniforms disappeared and might have fallen into the hands of the wrong people. They also talk about people paying outrageously high prices for the uniforms on eBay. A few things to consider: • These e-mails have been circulating since 2003. • The online auction site eBay stopped selling UPS uniforms that same year. • The website snopes.com dubunked the hoax. "I've heard of the e-mails, but it was a while ago," Strongsville Detective Lt. John Janowski said. "I haven't …
lyn
8:03 pm on Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Here's a link to the senator's website, listing some places on his site where you can find more info: http://www.brown.senate.gov/search/?q=jerky%20treats&start=10&as_sitesearch=&page=1.66666666667 As you can see, its a current issue. Most recently, April 19. more ›