There is nothing new under the sun. Hoaxes and urban legends aren't much older than mankind. However, since the advent of the Internet, more people are becoming subject to random falsities being propagated around the web. A good rule of thumb to follow is: "If it sounds unbelievable, don't be too willing to believe it." The best plan of action is to do some simple research before you facilitate the furtherance of misinformation. Below are some sites that will help you accomplish this plan. Simply paste some of the text of the questionable email into the search dialog box of one of the sites and conduct the search. Read what you find and determine if the information you have is credible or not. If it is not, inform the sender from which you received the email. By following this suggestion, you will continue to be a responsible citizen of the Internet.

• About.com - This site is one of the most thorough databases of hoaxes and urban legends. The search engine works well and you can easily find whether the email in question is true or untrue.
• Snopes.com - Urban Legends Reference Page - This is a neat site to just look around. You'll find some of the sections helpful if you're looking for something particular (e.g. a picture). Mostly, this is good for just interesting perusing.
• Symantec - Virus Hoaxes - If you receive an email about a virus, always go here first. Don't do anything to your computer before you check out Symantec (maker of Norton Anti-Virus).

  If you have a recommendation of another site that is helpful in determining the validity of questionable information on the Internet, let us know.