Sympathy hoaxes describe some person or company that has had something terrible happen to them such as an accident or terminal disease. In some cases, these hoaxes may have described a real person however that person has grown up, gotten cured, and would really like to stop receiving all the e-mail. The hoaxes are generally of the do this to send help or make a wish type.
The real problem with sending out a warnings like these is that there is no way to stop them after the problem is resolved. While this is a good way to get the word out about something imporant and time limited such as a missing child, it might be better to ask readers to check some web page to see if the problem has been resolved before sending the message to all their friends. Another option is to put a date on the message (say two weeks in the future) and ask the readers to not forward the message after that date. The writer can always send out a new message with a new date if the problem has not yet been resolved.
Last modified: Friday, 03-Aug-2007 14:16:34 PDT
Here is an example of a chain letter that preys on the sympathy of others. It is a hoax because what it claims is impossible. How can the American Cancer Society possibly know who you sent this to so they can donate 3 cents? Also, you donate to the Cancer Society, not the other way around. American Cancer Society's comments about the Hoax
You guys..... this isn't a chain letter, but a choice for all of us to save a little girl that's going to die of a serious and fatal form of cancer. Please send this to everyone you know...or don't know at that.This little girl has 6 months left to live her life, and as her last wish, she wanted to send a chain letter telling everyone to live their life to fullest, since she never will. She'll never make it to prom,graduate from high school, or get married and have a family of her own. By you sending this to as many people as possible, you can give her and her family a little hope, because with every name that this is sent to, the American Cancer Society will donate 3 cents per name to her treatment and recovery plan. One guy sent this to 500 people !!!! So, I know that we can send it to at least 5 or 6. Come on you guys.... and if you're too selfish to waste 10-15 minutes and scrolling this and forwarding it to EVERYONE, just think it could be you one day....and it's not even your $money$, just your time. Please help this little girl out guys, I know you can do it!! I love you guys!
Here is the same one again, fleshed out with a little more text and the name of a real doctor to try to make you think it is real. As you might expect, the real Dr. Shields had nothing to do with this message. See the Albert Einstein College of Medicine website (http://www.yu.edu/webmaster/chainletter.html).
PLEASE FORWARD THIS TO HELP THIS LITTLE GIRL ALL FORWARDED E-MAILS ARE TRACKED TO OBTAIN THE TOTAL COUNT. Dear All: PLEASE pass this mail on to everybody you know. It is the request of a special little girl who will soon leave this world as she has cancer. Thank you for your effort, this isn't a chain letter, but a choice for all of us to save a little girl that's dying of a serious and fatal form of cancer. Please send this to everyone you know... or don't know. This little girl has 6 months left to live, and as her dying wish, she wanted to send a letter telling everyone to live their life to the fullest, since she never will. Shel'll never make it to prom, graduate from high school, or get married and have a family of her own. By you sending this to as many people as possible, you can give her and her family a little hope, because with every name that this is sent to, The American Cancer Society will donate 3 cents per name to her treatment and recovery plan. One guy sent this to 500 people!!!! So I know that we can send it to at least 5 or 6. Just think it could be you one day. It's not even your money, just your time!!! "PLEASE PASS ON AS A LAST REQUEST" Dr. Dennis Shields, Professor Department of Developmental and Molecular Biology Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University 1300 Morris Park Avenue Bronx, New York 10461
And here is a variant with some poetry at the beginning.
SLOW DANCE Have you ever watched kids On a merry-go-round? Or listened to the rain Slapping on the ground? Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight? Or gazed at the sun into the fading night? You better slow down. Don't dance so fast. Time is short. The music won't last. Do you run through each day On the fly? When you ask How are you? Do you hear the reply? When the day is done Do you lie in your bed With the next hundred chores Running through your head? You'd better slow down Don't dance so fast. Time is short. The music won't last. Ever told your child, We'll do it tomorrow? And in your haste, Not see his sorrow? Ever lost touch, Let a good friendship die Cause you never had time To call and say,"hi" You'd better slow down. Don't dance so fast. Time is short. The music won't last. When you run so fast to get somewhere You miss half the fun of getting there. When you worry and hurry through your day, It is like an unopened gift.... Thrown away. Life is not a race. Do take it slower Hear the music Before the song is over. PLEASE FORWARD THIS TO HELP THIS LITTLE GIRL. ALL FORWARDED E-MAILS ARE TRACKED TO OBTAIN THE TOTAL COUNT. Dear All: PLEASE pass this mail on to everybody you know. It is the request of a special little girl who will soon leave this world as she has cancer. Please send this to everyone you know or don't know. This little girl has 6 months left to live, and as her dying wish, She wanted to send a letter telling everyone to live their life to the fullest, since she never will. She'll never make it to prom, graduate from high school, or get married and have a family of her own. By you sending this to as many people as possible, you can give her and her family a little hope, because with every name that this is sent to, The American Cancer Society will donate 3 cents per name to her treatment and recovery plan. One guy sent this to 500 people! So I know that we can send it to at least 5 or 6. Just think it could be you one day. It's not even your money, just your time! PLEASE PASS ON AS A LAST REQUEST Dr. Dennis Shields, Professor Department of Developmental and Molecular Biology 1300 Morris Park Avenue Bronx, New York 10461
December 2001
Every couple of years the "Little Girl Dying" hoax comes back again and this year is no different. The following hoax and picture are making the rounds of the Internet. The picture shows the youngest looking 10 year old I have ever seen. Maybe this should be called the fountain of youth hoax???
Please note that AOL and ZDNET cannot track e-mail and are not in the business of giving away money for chainletters.
Subject: Leukaemia - Please read then Forward If you delete this ... you seriously don't have a heart. Hi, I am a 29 year old father. My wife and I have had a wonderful life together. God blessed us with a child too. Our daughter's name is Rachel, and she is 10 years old. Not long ago the doctors detected brain cancer and in her little body. There is only one way to save her...an operation. Sadly, we don't have enough money to pay the price. AOL and ZDNET have agreed to help us. The only way they can help us is this way, I send this email to you and you send it to other people. AOL will track this email and count how many people get it. Every person who opens this email and sends it to at least 3 people will give us 32 cents. Please help us. Sincerely George Arlington
And here is a variant with the words put on the picture. If you look closely, you will see that they changed the age to 10 months instead of 10 years though this baby still looks a little young for 10 months.
click for larger image
A recent variant adds the following poetry to the hoax.
TO MY CHILD: Just for this morning, I am going to smile when I see your face and laugh when I feel like crying. Just for this morning, I will let you choose what you want to wear, and smile and say how perfect it is. Just for this morning, I am going to step over the laundry, and pick you up and take you to the park to play. Just for this morning, I will leave the dishes in the sink, and let you teach me how to put that puzzle of yours together. Just for this afternoon, I will unplug the telephone and keep the computer off, and sit with you in the backyard and blow bubbles. Just for this afternoon, I will not yell once, not even a tiny grumble when you scream and whine for the ice cream truck, and I will buy you one if he comes by. Just for this afternoon, I won't worry about what you are going to be when you grow up, or second guess every decision I have made where you are concerned. Just for this afternoon, I will let you help me bake cookies, and I won't stand over you trying to fix them. Just for this afternoon, I will take us to McDonald's and buy us both a Happy Meal so you can have both toys. Just for this evening, I will hold you in my arms and tell you a story about how you were born and how much I love you. Just for this evening, I will let you splash in the tub and not get angry. Just for this evening, I will let you stay up late while we sit on the porch and count all the stars. Just for this evening, I will snuggle beside you for hours, and miss my favorite TV shows. Just for this evening when I run my finger through your hair as you pray, I will simply be grateful that God has given me the greatest gift ever given. I will think about the mothers and fathers who are searching for their missing children, the mothers and fathers who are visiting their children's graves instead of their bedrooms, and mothers and fathers who are in hospital rooms watching their children suffer senselessly, and screaming inside that they can't handle it anymore. And when I kiss you good night I will hold you a little tighter, a little longer. It is then, that I will thank God for you, and ask him for nothing, except one more day............. Hi. I am a 29 year old father. Me and my wife have had a wonderful life together. God blessed us with a child too. Our daughter's name is Rachel, and she is 10 years old. Not long ago did the doctors detect brain cancer in her little body. There is only one way to save her and that is an operation. Sadly we don't have the money for the operation. AOL and Zdnet have agreed to help us. The only way they can help is this: If you send this email to other people, AOL will track this email and count how many people get it. Every person that opens this email and sends it to at least 3 people will give us 32c. Please help us. George Arlington
July 2002
And yet another dieing little girl, this one with bone cancer. I called the hospital and they would appreciate it if you did not send cards there as they just have to return them.
THERE IS A 9 YEAR OLD GIRL BY THE NAME OF FAITH HOEMISTEINE IN CINCINNATI
OHIO THAT IS DIEING OF BONE CANCER. THEY HAVE ALREADY AMPUTATED BOTH HER
ARMS AND LEGS. BEFORE SHE DIES SHE HAS A WISH. THAT WISH IS TO GET INTO
THE GUINNESS WORLD BOOK OF RECORDS FOR RECEIVING THE MOST GREETING CARDS.
HER ADDRESS IS:
FAITH HOEMISTEINE
C/O SHRINE HOSPITAL
3229 BURNETTS
CINCINNATI, OHIO 45229-3095
LETS MAKE HER WISH COME TRUE.
September 2004
To the sound of violins playing a sad melody in the background)
Another little girl needs your help just so send this to everyone you know and AOL will pay her medical bills.
(twang!! the violin just broke a string and the performer can't stop laughing).
The story may be sad but it is not real.
If you really care about sick children and want to help then donate to something real like St. Judes hospital.
Subject: im bout to cry cause i read this A sister and her brother were inside the new Walmart built in town. The sister at six years of age, the brother seventeen years of age. The brother was fixing to buy a present for his little sister on her birthday, but as soon as they were fixing to leave she had to go to the bathroom. Her brother showed her where it was, he started to look at some earrings she would probably like for her next birthday. As he started to buy them he saw people running from the end of the store screaming and yelling with fear. Before he new it he smelled smoke and saw fire, he ran to his little sister as fast as he could but when he got to the bathrooms they were already on fire. He new he had to get out as fast as he could to get help. But when the firetrucks arrived it was already to late. Two days later the family got a ! call from the hospital saying they have someone there by the name of sandy. They asked "How did you get this number"? The hospital said she was holding a purse in her hand with a card that said her name and number on it. The family drove to the hospital to see thier little angel. While they looked at her, they noticed her arm was almost all the way burnt off, and her face was so burned it needed surgery. But the family didnt have enough to cover the bill. So now the need you to help out! Note: Every time you send this to three people aol will take away $2.00 off the hospital bill. DO NOT DELETE! AOL IS TRACKING THIS!
Here is another sympathy chain letter similar to the "A Little Girl Dying" chain letter. According to American Cancer Society: "The American Cancer Society is greatly disturbed by reports of a fraudulent chain letter circulating on the internet which lists the American Cancer Society as a "corporate sponsor" but which has in no way been endorsed by the American Cancer Society. This letter appears to have started on America Online but has now spread well beyond the online service. There are several variations of this letter in circulation, including one which has a picture of "Tickle Me Elmo" and one that is essentially a paraphrase of the letter below."
LITTLE JESSICA MYDEK IS SEVEN YEARS OLD AND IS SUFFERING FROM AN ACUTE AND VERY RARE CASE OF CEREBRAL CARCINOMA. THIS CONDITION CAUSES SEVERE MALIGNANT BRAIN TUMORS AND IS A TERMINAL ILLNESS. THE DOCTORS HAVE GIVEN HER SIX MONTHS TO LIVE. AS PART OF HER DYING WISH, SHE WANTED TO START A CHAIN LETTER TO INFORM PEOPLE OF THIS CONDITION AND TO SEND PEOPLE THE MESSAGE TO LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST AND ENJOY EVERY MOMENT, A CHANCE THAT SHE WILL NEVER HAVE. FURTHERMORE, THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY AND SEVERAL CORPORATE SPONSORS HAVE AGREED TO DONATE THREE CENTS TOWARD CONTINUING CANCER RESEARCH FOR EVERY NEW PERSON THAT GETS FORWARDED THIS MESSAGE. PLEASE GIVE JESSICA AND ALL CANCER VICTIMS A CHANCE. IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, SEND THEM TO THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY AT ACS@AOL.COM
September 1999
And, another one on the same theme.
Hello. My name is Tamara Martin and I have severe lung and throat cancer due to second hand smoke. This chain was a final attempt to help solve my problem. For every one person that this letter is sent to, the national lung and cancer association will donate 6 cents to help me and other people like me become healthy again. If you do not pass this letter on, my life and memory will soon both be gone. So please, try to send this to at least 10 people. It is for a good cause. (By the way, be sure one of the people you send it to is "Cool12@AOL.COM" as he keeps track of the names that have passed this along.) I give my blessing to those who pass this along. To those too selfish to take 2 minutes to do this, what goes around comes around. Thank you.
September 1999
This one combines both the Little Girl Dying and Tamara Martin hoaxes into one letter supposedly coming from Dave Matthews of the Dave Matthews Band. As with the others of this type, there is no way Dave Matthews could know if you have sent an e-mail to anyone so how can he know to donate money.
HI! This is Dave Matthews from The Dave Matthews Band. I got America Online
just a little while ago and my screenname will be sent to you if you pass
this on. I get a list of the people who send this to at least another 5
people online and my secratary will send all of you my screenname. I go
online at least once a week. The reason I am doing this is because this
little girl needs our help and I thought that I could use my fame to help
out this sick little girl. Ok Listen I Just Spent 13 hours Getting Screen
Names Just So that I Could Help a Little Girl So Read The bottom
This isn't a chain letter.
Ok you guys..... This isn't a chain letter, but a choice for all of us to
save a little girl that's dying of a serious and fatal form of cancer.
Please send this to everyone you know...or don't know at that. This little
girl has 6 months left to live, and as her dying wish, she wanted to send a
chain letter telling everyone to live their life to the fullest, since she
never will. She'll never make it to prom, graduate from high school, or get
married and have a family of her own. But by you sending this to as many
people as possible, you can give her and her family a little hope, because
with every name that this is sent to, the American cancer society will
donate 3 cents per name to her treatment and recovery plan. One guy sent
this to 500 people!!!! So, I know that we can send it to at least 5 or 6.
Come on you guys.... And if you're too damn selfish to waste 10-15 minutes
scrolling this and forwarding it to EVERYONE, (more than one person):
you're one sick puppy, and two: just think it could be you one day....
and it's not even your $money$, just your time. I know that ya'll will
impress me !!!! I love ya'll!!!!!
Another that I am putting money towards is: Tamara Martin and she has severe
lung cancer due to second hand smoke. This chain was a final attempt to get
her healthy again. Every letter sent gets 6 cents from me. Please send this
to 10 people. (by the way for those who take 2 minutes to send this, what
comes around goes around.)
I am putting a lot of money towards this and thanks to all my fans-
I
love
ya'll!!
Love,
Dave Matthews
This is another example of a sympathy chain letter regarding a little boy's dying wish.
THIS IS NOT A JOKE.
This little boy at the Mayo Clinic is very sick and he knows that he
will die. Well you know how they have those "Make a Wish Foundations"
that give terminally ill kids a dying wish, well this is kind of like
that. He likes computers and his wish is to live forever by having his
chain letter be eternally passed on the Internet. This is not some joke.
And for those of you who care please send this to as many people as possible
so his wish can be granted. (THIS IS NOT A CHAIN LETTER JUST DO SOMETHING
NICE FOR ONCE!)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Anthony Parkin
Date: Wed, 17 Apr 1996
To:
Subject: My dying wish
My name is Anthony Parkin, and you don't know me. I'm 7 years old,
and I have lukemea. I found your name using gopher, and I would
like for you to carry out my dying wish of starting a chain letter.
Please send this letter to five people you know so I can live forever.
Thank You very much
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friendship and love are the best gift that a person can recieve.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The following, as you can tell, is a spoof of the sympathy letters.
I am a very sick boy little boy. My mother is typing this for me, because I can't. She is crying. (Don't cry, Mommy!) Mommy is always sad, but she says it's not my fault. I asked her if it was God's fault, but she didn't answer, and only started crying harder, so I don't ask her that anymore. The reason she is so sad is that I'm so sick. I was born without a body. It doesn't hurt, except when I go to sleep. The doctors gave me an artificial body. My body is a burlap bag filled with leaves. The doctors said that was the best they could do on account of us havin' no money or insurance. I would like to have a body transplant, but we need more money. Mommy doesn't work because she said employers don't hire crying people. I said, "Don't cry, Mommy," and she hugged my burlap body. Mommy always gives me hugs, even though she's allergic to burlap, and it chafes her real bad. I hope you will help me. You can help me if you forward this e-mail. Dr. Van Nostrem from the clinic said if you foward this e-mail then Bill Gates will team up with AOL and do a survey with NASA. Then the astronauts will collect prayers from school children all over America and take them up to space so that the angels can hear them better. Then they will go to the Pope, and he will take up a collection in church and send the money to the doctors. The doctors could help me get better then. Maybe one day I will be able to play baseball. Or maybe just use my lungs and heart, when the doctors make them. The doctors said that every time you forward this letter, the astronauts can take another prayer to the angels. Please help me. Mommy is so sad, and I want a body. I don't want my leaves to rot before I turn 10. If you don't forward this e-mail, that's OK. Mommy says you're a mean heartless shithead who doesn't care about a poor little boy with only a head. She says that, if you don't stew in the raw pit of your own guilt-ridden stomach, she hopes you die a long slow horrible death so you can burn forever in the tar pits of hell. What kind of goddamned person are you that you can't take five fucking minutes to forward this to all your friends so that they can feel guilt and shame for the rest of their day, and then maybe help a poor, bodiless nine-year-old boy? Please help me. This really sucks. I try to be happy but it's hard. I wish I had a puppy. I wish I could hold a puppy. One time I had a puppy but he ate my leaves. Thank You. The boy with just a head. And a burlap sack for a body. ~~~~
August 2000
This one is also a joke.
Subject: FW: Cancer (do not delete)-just forward! You must forward! Hi, my name is Amy Bruce.I am 7 years old, and I have severe lung cancer. I also have a large tumor in my brain, from repeated beatings. The doctors say I will die soon if this isn't fixed, and my family can't pay the bills. The Make AWish Foundation, has agreed to donate 7 cents for every name on this list. For those of you who send this along, I thank you so much, but for those who don't send it, what goes around comes around. Have a Heart, please send this. Please, if you are a kind person, send this on.
December 1997
Another hoax claiming that someone will get a donation for every email sent. You might ask yourself why a hospital would donate to some organization called the National Diesese Society (whatever that is). Hospitals are generally the recipients of donations and grants, not the reverse.
Subj: Fwd: How would you like he power to save lives?
Date: 97-12-29 03:03:05 EST
From: OOmental
To: SandMan 47
Hello, my name is Timothy Flyte. I have severe ostriopliosis of the liver.
(My liver is extremely inflamed). Modern Science has yet to find a cure.
Valley Childrens hospital has agreed to donate 7 cents to the National Diesese
Society for every name on this letter. Please send it around as much as you
can.
Thank you,
Tim
PS: For those of you who dont take 5 minutes to do this, what goes around
comes around. You can help sick people, and it costs you nothing, yet you are
too lazy to do it? You will get what you deserve.
December 1997
And yet one more hoax claiming that someone will get a donation for every email sent.
Dear Friends My name is Anna Cohen and I live in Albany New York. My daughter Liz recently had a baby girl named Jada 2 months early. Jada has many problems with her heart and lungs and medical costs have become extremely expensive. Jada was recently moved to a hospital in California and the move was very expensive. A billionaire in California has promised to give $. 05 for every time this email is forwarded. If you wouldn't mind forwarding this to everyone on your list I would greatly appreciate it as well as my daughter and little Jada. This could save a life. Please have a heart and forward this. Remember: What goes around comes around. Thank you, Anna Cohen
August 2000
More donations for passing this e-mail on. It is supposed to have some encoding that lets it be counted by someone named BCC. I suppose that this is an attempt to trick people into thinking that the BCC line in the mail header is something other than Blind Carbon Copy.
Hello, my name is Katie Relek, and I live in Alabama. Well, this is an important for you to read, because I really need your cooperation. It is so imporant for you to know about what I want to tell you. Ok, let me start. Ok, a couple of days ago, my son, he's 7 years old, his name is Kalin. Well, he was playing on the street, infront of our house, and then from out of no where, this car came out and crashed into him! I was sooo frightened and angered at the driver, but it ended out to be, that the drivers brakes had been shot, and he wasn't able to stop. Luckily, my son, was able to avoid death, but he is in very serious condition. Right now, as I speak, he's in the hospital, but the thing is, he has the serious injury to himself. It's internal bleeding, and it's bad to say, but we don't have any health insurance, and we don't have enough money to pay for the operation. So I made a deal with a company, BCC inc. And they told me, for every person that will foward this email, he'll donate 5 cents To the operation. THIS IS NO JOKE. We attached this type of encoding, that tracked how many times this message was fowarded. SO PLEASE, FOWARD THIS LETTER TO EVERY PERSON ON YOUR LIST. IT WILL BE VERY MUCH APPRECIATED!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH
July 1998
This message describes a real lost child in Minnesota. The child was actually lost in July of 1998 and the mother contacted police and sent out this message. The child was found two days later (see the Mounds View city net) but there was no way to stop this message. The police department in Mounds View would appreciate it if people stopped calling them.
If you get a message about a missing child and feel you just have to send it on. Spend a few minutes to check it out first with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to see if the child is listed as missing. It might save you from sending on a hoax or old message. Also, if the message is more than a few weeks old, it is likely to be completely out of date so do not send it on.
Subject: PLEASE FORWARD THIS MISSING CHILD PLEASE PASS THIS MESSAGE ON! My name is Christine Schmidt. I live in Mounds View, Minnesota and my little 20 month old girl is missing. Her name is Krystava Patients Schmidt. She was last seen with an acquaintance of mine named Becky(Rebecca) Lynn Dearmond on July 10, 1997. Becky took my grandmother's car and Krystava. The car is a 1997 blue Neon license plate number ANX 437. I need your help....please! I am sending a photo with this letter in hopes that you will pass this letter to everyone you know on the Internet and print the photo of Krystava and post it wherever you can in your neighborhood. If you have seen her, or suspect anything suspicious,please contact the Mounds View Police at (612) 484-9155 as soon as possible. PLEASE forward this letter to as many people you know and post the picture of my little girl wherever you can. Please pray for us too! Thank you in advance for your support and cooperation. Christine Schmidt GUYS...PLEASE, PLEASE TAKE THIS SERIOUS AND FORWARD IF YOU DELETE YOU HAVE NO HEART!!!
October 1999
Another missing child. From reports we have seen, this child was found playing at a neighbor's house within a couple of hours of being lost. This warning, though, is still going around more than a year later.
Subject: PLEASE KEEP THIS GOING I am asking you all, begging you to please forward this email on to anyone and everyone. As most all of you know, I have a 5 year old daughter named Kelsey Brooke Jones. We are from Southern Minnesota. She has been missing since 4pm Oct.11, 1999. The police were notified shortly after. If anyone anywhere knows anything, sees anything, please contact me if you have my number. The police don't recommend I put my number online, but you can contact the Police, a missing person report has been filed. I am including a picture of her. All prayers are appreciated!! I hope I have covered enough East Coast, Midwest, and West Coast people to spread out the search for this little girl. It only takes 2 seconds to "forward" this on, if it was your child, you would want all the help you could get.
July 1999
Craig Shelford wanted to be in the record books but we suspect that he and the Make-a-Wish Foundation would really like it if everyone would stop sending them business cards. According to the Make-A-Wish foundation, Craig did have a request, but it was to another foundation. He wanted to receive greeting cards and after receiving 16 million of them by 1990 would like them to stop. He survived the tumor and went to college.
Dear Friend: We have been asked to participate in a request that a business card be sent to Craig Shelford at the address shown below. Seven year-old Craig has a brain tumor and has little time to live. Craig turned in a wish to the Children's Make-A-Wish Foundation expressing his desire to have an entry in the World Book of Records for the largest collection of business cards received by one individual. Please take the time to retype this letter on your letterhead and send it to 20 businesses of your choice to help Craig's wish come true. PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE IN YOUR RESPONSE AS TIME IS OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE. Please send your business card to: Craig Shelford C/O Make-A-Wish Foundation 320 Perimeter Center, East Wing Atlanta, Georgia 30358
August 1999
Aaron Russell Steinmetz was found in February 1999 but this message is still circulating 6 months later.
My name is Amanda Steinmetz
I live in Summerfield, Florida.
My 3 ½ year little boy is missing.
His name is Aaron Russell Steinmetz.
He was last seen with his father
Michael Anthony Steinmetz
on December 19, 1998 at 3:00pm
leaving a family wedding.
They are traveling in a 1991
Chevy Astro Van
Solid black with dark black
window tint license plate # SFK47Q.
I am asking that you help me by
forwarding this letter to
everyone you know.
If you have seen or suspect
anything suspicious,
PLEASE contact the Marion County
Sherriff at (352) 732-9111 as soon as
possible.
Thank you for your support and
cooperation
Amanda Steinmetz
December 2000
Recently, the text of a poem called "La marioneta" has been passed around the Internet, as well as run in several Latin American newspapers. Attributed to García Márquez and believed to be a "farewell letter" to his friends, it was uncovered to really be the work of a ventriloquist named Johnny Welch. A good description of the hoax is found in a Reuters article publisned in the LA Times.
A GENIUS BIDS FAREWELL Gabriel Garcia Marquez has retired from public life due to health reasons: cancer of the lymphnodes. It seems that it is getting worse. He has sent a farewell letter to his friends, and thanks to the Internet it is spreading. This short text, written by one of the most brilliant Latin Americans in recent times, is truly moving. "If for an instant God were to forget that I am a rag doll and gifted me with a piece of life, possibly I wouldn't say all that I think, but rather I would think of all that I say. I would value things, not for their worth but for what they mean. I would sleep little, dream more,understanding that for each minute we close our eyes we lose sixty seconds of light. "I would walk when others hold back, I would wake when others sleep. "I would listen when others talk, and how I would enjoy a good chocolate ice cream! If God were to give me a piece of life, I would dress simply, throw myself face first into the sun, baring not only my body but also my soul. My God, if I had a heart, I would write my hate on ice, and wait for the sun to show.. Over the stars I would paint with a Van Gogh dream a Benedetti poem, and a Serrat song would be the serenade I'd offer to the moon. With my tears I would water roses, to feel the pain of their thorns, and the red kiss of their petals... "My god, if I had a piece of life... I wouldn't let a single day pass without telling the people I love that I love them. I would convince each woman and each man that they are my favorites, and I would live in love with love. I would show men how very wrong they are to think that they cease to be in love when they grow old, not knowing that they grow old when they cease to be in love! To a child I shall give wings, but I shall let him learn to fly on his own. I would teach the old that death does not come with old age, but with forgetting. So much have I learned from you, oh men... "I have learned that everyone wants to live on the peak of the mountain, without knowing that real happiness is in how it is scaled. I have learned that when a newborn child squeezes for the first time with his tiny fist his father's finger, he has him trapped forever. I have learned that a man has the right to look down on another only when he has to help the other get to his feet. From you I have learned so many things, but in truth they won't be of much use, for when I keep them within this suitcase, unhappily shall I be dying." GABRIEL GARCIA MARQUEZ
October 2001
The Penny Brown hoax claims to have come from a Monzine Jang in Calgary but if you call the phone number, you get a recording that says:
If you are calling about an e-mail about a missing girl, please do not forward it. She is not the daughter of Monzine Jang. Monzine has contacted the Calgary police and missing children organizations and she believes this is a hoax.
So if you get this message or any of the dozen variants of it, please don't pass it on. Also, lay off Ms. Jang as she does not need everyone calling her.
PLEASE LOOK AT PICTURE THEN FORWARD I am asking you all, begging you to please, forward this email on to anyone and everyone you know, PLEASE. My 9 year old girl, Penny Brown, is missing. She has been missing for now two weeks. It is still not too late, Please help us. If anyone anywhere knows anything, sees anything, please contact me at zicozicozico@hotmail.com I am including a picture of her. All prayers are appreciated!! It only takes 2 seconds to forward this on, if it was your child, you would want all the help you could get. Thank you for your kindness, hopefully you can help us. Monzine Jang Office Administrator G208, Health Sciences Centre Faculty of Medicine University of Calgary 403- xxx-xxxx 403- xxx-xxxx (fax)
Here is a Walmart version of the hoax.
Subject: Please Look at picture and forward
November 2001
This message has been circulating since early 2001. There is also a variant that has the date Chris was missing changed to May 11, 2001.
The snopes site has done some extensive checking on this one and found no evidence of any missing person report in New York or to the FBI for anyone by this name. However, some of the readers of the snopes site claim to have contacted the Minos and that Chris was found and is home safe.
Hoax or not, this message is not valid and should not be forwarded.
I am asking you all, begging you to please, forward this email on to
anyone and everyone you know, PLEASE. I have a 5 year old son named
Christopher John Mineo Jr, nickname C.J. I am from Brooklyn N.Y. He has
been missing since November of 98. If anyone anywhere knows anything,
sees anything, please contact the original screen name that sent this.
Which is CMINEO0295@aol.com I am including a picture of him.
All prayers are appreciated!! It only takes 2 seconds to forward
this on, if it was your child, you would want all the help you could get.
Please.
Christopher John Mineo Sr
June 2003
No one is tracking e-mails and giving away money. Forget it! If you check this one closely, you will note that the picture was swiped off of www.babypics.com and is actually a photo of Megan Cronce, not someone named Natalie.
June 2003
I guess someone got tired of the "little Girl Dying" hoax and recreated it with the mother dying. As with all the others, no charity is going to give you 10 cents for forwarding an e-mail.
I'm 11 years old. My mommy worked on the 20th floor in the World Trade Tower. On Sept. 11 2001 my daddy drove my mom to work. She was running late so she left her purse in the car. My daddy seen it so he parked the car and went to give her the purse. That day after school my daddy didnt come to pick me up. Instead a police man came and took me to foster care. Finally I found out why my daddy never came.. I really loved him.... They never found his body.. My mom is in the the Hospital since then.. She is losing lots of blood.. She needs to go through surgery.. But since my daddy is gone and no one is working.. We have no money .. And her surgery cost lots of money.. So the Red Cross said that.. for every time this email is fwd we Will get 10 cent for my mom's surgery. So please have a heart and fwd this to everyone you know I really miss my daddy and now I dont want to lose my mommy too.. R.I.P. Daddy..
March 2004
Whomever created this chain is an incredibly mean and insensitive person. Sabrina is a real missing person. You can see her picture on the Polly Klass Foundation website or on www.findsabrina.org.
What this hoaxter did was to take the information about Sabrina and change the phone numbers so they go nowhere. If a person has seen Sabrina and tries to call the listed numbers will be diverted to South Africa (011-27-...) or Spain (011-34-...) or nowhere. They would likely figure it was a hoax and give up, possibly preventing the police from getting an important lead.
You can't imagine what it's like to have a
little girl get abducted.
And I hope you never know the feeling. But if you have any compassion in your
heart, please help find this missing little girl. She disappeared a few months
ago and still hasn't been found. She's just 5 years old!
The Internet is huge and covers the whole world. If you pass this photo to just
5 friends, and they each pass it on to 5 of their friends, maybe this picture
will reach someone who knows little Sabrina and can help find her.
Please, please help me find this little girl.
If you've seen her, please call (012) 424-2812
or (011 ) 346-3243.
International +2712 424 2812 or
+2711 3463243
If you haven't see her, please pass this on to others
January 2007
As best we can tell, Ashley Flores is not missing. Rumor has it that this was a hoax setup by her boyfriend that sort of got out of hand. If you look closely, you will see that most of the words have been taken from the Penny Brown Hoax.
Please look at the picture, read what her mother says, then forward his message on.Maybe if everyone passes this on, someone will see this child. That is how the girl from Stevens Point was found by circulation of her picture on tv. The internet circulates even overseas, South America , and Canada etc. Thanks Please pass this to everyone in your address book. We have a Deli manager (Acme Markets) from Philadelphia , Pa who has a 13 year old daughter who has been missing for 2 weeks. Keep the picture moving on. With luck on her side she will be found. "I am asking you all, begging you to please forward this email on to anyone and everyone you know, PLEASE. My 13 year old girl, Ashley Flores, is missing. She has been missing for now two weeks. It is still not too late. Please help us. If anyone any where knows anything, please contact me at: HelpfindAshleyFlores@yahoo.com I am including a picture of her. All prayers are appreciated!! " It only takes 2 seconds to forward this. If it was your child, you would want all the help you c ould get.
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