BIBSE - Basic Instructions Before Sending Email

This article, which was quoted from PCWorld by Yahoo, should be required reading for every email user - especially any person who uses email from a business.

Two additions I would have made to the list. First: delete any email immediately if it includes any of the following phrases:

>"TELL EVERYBODY!" or "SEND THIS TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW!"
>"THIS (fill in the blank) WILL DESTROY YOUR PC!"
>"YOU'LL GET A (free vacation, cash amount, new girlfriend, etc) IF YOU FORWARD THIS TO (some number greater than 5) PEOPLE!

Second, if there is a virus threat, sick child, missing child, prayer request from a stranger, or anything not directly related to someone you know, go to Google first, and type in the subject of the email in the search field and hit "enter." If any listing shows the word "hoax," do not forward it on. Period.

Yeah, I'm griping - but receiving the same hoaxes over and over is a pet peeve of mine. And I believe that knowing these things is part of the task of being a responsible "net-izen." In fact, it's much easier (and quicker) to check the truth of a possible hoax than it is clicking on the 50 email ID's of the people you would forward it to....