How Much Truth is in that Forwarded E-mail? A Guide to Separating Fact from Fiction in Your Inbox

We've all seen it: that e-mail that's just too funny, too shocking, or too anger-inducing or terrifying to be true. And when it boils down to it, it probably isn't. Our inboxes are flooded with messages forwarded from friends, coworkers, and family members about political scandals, heartbreaking tragedies, shocking corporate behavior, and terrifying warnings about disease and violence. Let's look at a few simple things you can do to check the accuracy of any e-mail that comes your way so that you can help pass on the word or stop it in its tracks when needed.

The first rule of e-mail verification is this: don't trust anything you read in a forwarded e-mail. This includes the now-ubiquitous claims that the e-mail has already been verified. The people who write these chains (for who knows what reason) have wised up to the various sites intent on stopping them, and now they often include a line or two about already being verified. Surely you've seen one that claims, "This was checked out on Snopes.com and is true!" These claims are made solely for the purpose of tricking you into forwarding it along without actually verifying it yourself.

Another thing to remember is that just because someone's name is in the e-mail doesn't mean it's true. That person may not even exist! Dr. Mike Wainwater of Valdosta, Georgia might claim that he's seen an increase of kids coming into his office after suffering a raisin overdose, but when it turns out that there is no Sr. Rainwater, we shouldn't be surprised to discover there's also no such thing as a raisin overdose. This also applies to the signatures at the bottom of the e-mail. Unless that signature is someone you personally know, you're better off assuming it's not a real person and is there only to make the e-mail seem more authentic.

When it comes to verifying e-mails, the quickest way is to refer to one of the many internet sites dedicated to proving or disproving e-mail forwards. Snopes (http://www.snopes.com) is probably the most popular, which is why it's the one most commonly seen in the e-mails themselves. There are several others that do a great job too, though, so if you can't find the e-mail topic on one, be sure to check a few others before pressing that forward button. Truth or Fiction (http://www.truthorfiction.com) and Break the Chain (http://www.breakthechain.org) both do a great job of breaking down e-mail forwards, as well as educating visitors about the various things to be on the lookout for in forwards.

If you can't find any information on those sites, consider doing a search through your favorite search engine. Copy the subject or a line or two, or just type the topic into the search field. If it's true, chances are you'll find another story or two to verify it. If it's false, then you probably won't find anything about it at all. That makes it especially easy to delete.

As with most other things in life, keep in mind that if it sounds too good to be true, then it most likely is. No company is going to send you 1000 dollars for simply forwarding an e-mail (not even a company as rich as Microsoft). No reward is going to come your way after you send on that joke to 10 people. And as superstitious as you may be, you're not going to suffer any bad luck for hitting delete instead of forward.

Finally, it is always best to remember proper etiquette when dealing with e-mail forwards in a work environment. Many coworkers get distracted and annoyed by floods of non-work-related e-mails, and many businesses have strict rules against forwarding when it's not directly related to work. Also, in any environment, it's important to keep in mind that people hold many different political, religious, and environmental beliefs. That e-mail you find so inspirational or motivational might just be enough to spark an argument, and no one wants that.

E-mail forwards can be fun and interesting, but it's always important to make sure what you're sending on is true. Misinformation leads to confusion and panic, and those are just the sort of things we can prevent if we get rid of the false e-mails.