What Goes Around Comes Around...and Around...and Around

Today I received an email begging people to adopt two adorable Labradors, Cookie and Coco. In the email, the owner said she was moving overseas and couldn't take the doggies with her. The pair had to be re-homed together because they couldn't bear to be apart. The story tugged at my heart strings, especially since I've been watching episodes of the harrowing 'Animal Cops: Houston' nonstop for the past week.

The email included a note from the last person who sent it which gave me the impression Cookie and Coco belonged to her "father's friend." So I forwarded it to a few people who might be able to help. I felt a little niggle, though, 'cause I've been burned by sob story emails that turned out to be hoaxes. But then I thought, "Why would anyone send phony emails about animals in peril?" The story seemed so sincere, and just look at these gorgeous, soon-to-be-homeless faces.

I thought about the whole thing a bit longer after telling my friends, then I decided to google the contact email addy given in the email. All the results came up with variations of "The Cookie and Coco saga is a big fat hoax!" Grrrrr!

Why would anyone waste time circulating this **** if it isn't true?

Well, it turns out the story was true once upon a time--a real-life Lab pair were indeed in need of adoptive parents and they did find the right home. They're living happily ever after according to reports. Now spammers have gotten hold of the story and I suspect they're collecting addresses from the kind people who respond to the cry for help. God knows what they're doing with that info.

Anyway, the point is if you get a sob story email, google it first! Or check out this rumour-busting site.

Cyber Crimes

Ever been caught talking about someone behind their back, only to find that person was standing behind you listening to the whole rant? Imagine the cyber equivalent, say bagging out your boss in an email and accidentally sending the email to everyone in your company address book. That one email could then be spammed to the entire universe by the day's end.

Or featured in a book.

UK author Chas Newkey-Burden has compiled a whole book full of embarrassing e-correspondence.

I'm no stranger to email and blogging disasters, as some of you know. I wrote an email intended for my sister but it somehow ended up in the inbox of an agent I'd once e-queried. It almost made me want to disconnect from not only broadband but from the world in general. But I can now talk about this "learning experience" without becoming violently ill.