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http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/ref...top_25_uls.htm
1. Add Cell Phones to Do Not Call Registry
Forwarded email warns that a directory of cell phone numbers will soon be published and urges users to enter their cell phone numbers on the federal 'Do Not Call' registry to prevent calls from telemarketers. Status: Mostly 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. 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
4. Giant Housecat (Photo)
Emailed photo of a really, really big housecat in the arms of a standard-sized human. Status: Authentic
5. 'Postcard' Virus Warning
Email alert warns of "the worst virus ever" circulating in the form of an attachment labeled "Postcard" or "Postcard from Hallmark." Status: See details
6. Burundanga Drug Warning
Forwarded emails warn that U.S. criminals are using business cards impregnated with a potent street drug called burundanga (aka scopolamine) to incapacitate victims before attacking them. Status: Mostly false
7. 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
8. 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
9. Bill Gates Is Sharing His Fortune!
Sorry, folks. Microsoft and AOL have not merged, nor has Bill Gates decided to share his vast fortune with people who forward silly chain letters. Status: False
10. 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
11. Free Laptops from Ericsson
Email chain letter claims phone manufacturer Ericsson will give away free laptop computers to those who forward the message to at least eight people. Status: False
12. Obama / Bush Inauguration Costs Compared
Forwarded email compares the alleged cost of Barack Obama's 2009 inauguration to that of G.W. Bush's second inaugural festivities in 2005 and the disparate media reactions to same. Status: Mostly false
13. World Record Grizzly Bear (Photos)
Are emailed pictures of a giant, 1,600-pound, man-eating grizzly bear allegedly killed in Alaska by a hunter or Forest Service employee real? Status: Partly true
14. Nostradamus Predicted the 9/11 Attacks
Did French seer Nostradamus predict the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon 500 years before they happened? Status: False
15. Hercules the Liger (Photos)
Emailed photos of a 10-foot "liger" (a cross between a lion and a tiger) named Hercules. Status: Authentic
16. Why the Ocean Is So Salty
Is it true that a blue whale produces over 400 gallons of sperm when it ejaculates, and that explains the saltiness of the ocean? Status: False
17. Friday the 13th
Origins, history, and folklore of the unluckiest day of all, Friday the 13th. Status: See details
18. '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
19. Mr. Rogers Was a Marine Sniper / Navy Seal
Internet rumors allege that mild-mannered children's TV show host Fred Rogers had a former secret career as a trained assassin. Status: False
20. Doctors Find Live Worm in Patient's Eye (Photos)
When the doctors operated, what was thought to be a growth or cyst actually turned out to be a live worm; what was thought initially to be mere dust in the patient's eye was actually an insect's egg. Status: Partly true
21. Obama Is the Antichrist
Email rumor claims charismatic U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama is the Antichrist prophesied in the New Testament. Status: Silly
22. 90# Telephone Scam
Forwarded email warns telephone customers not to comply with instructions from persons claiming to be phone company service technicians to 'test the line' by dialing 90# or #90. Status: Partly true
23. Urban Legends of the Super Bowl
We investigate several super-sized beliefs about the number one sporting event in the United States. Status: See details
24. 'Obama Acceptance Speech' Virus Warning
Virus alert warns that emails with the subject line 'Obama Acceptance Speech' carry a Trojan horse program that steals passwords and user IDs. Status: True
25. Richard Gere & the Gerbil
Legend has it that actor Richard Gere had to be rushed to the emergency room some years ago to have a gerbil removed from his posterior. Status: False
Recently Added / Updated:
1. Calico Buck (Photos)
Emailed photos purport to show a 'calico buck' shot by a hunter somewhere in Wisconsin (or Michigan, Arkansas, West Virginia, or Georgia, depending on version). Status: Mislabeled
2. Obama Skipped 'Salute to Heroes' Inaugural Ball
Forwarded email criticizes Barack Obama for being the first newly elected president in 56 years to skip the Salute to Heroes Inaugural Ball honoring recipients of the Medal of Honor. Status: True / Misleading
3. Military to Pledge Loyalty Oath to Obama Instead of Constitution
Emailed 'news story' claims the Obama administration is quietly planning to replace the military oath of loyalty to the Constitution with a pledge of loyalty to Obama himself. Status: False
Last updated: 02/07/09
