ABSTRACT
Rumor One frightening rumor regarding a supposedly rampant crime against women circulated (and probably still does) on e-mail; it was supposedly sent by a lady police officer in a major U.S. city and it included the officer’s phone number and cell phone number. It was immediately curious because the crime described was said to have taken place in a state across the county, completely out of her jurisdiction. We contacted her and heard a voice-message saying the incident was not true, that she did not send the e-mail nor did she authorize the use of her name. She later said she had received thousands of phone calls on both phones. She believe that someone, perhaps a friend, but at least someone on her personal e-mail circle, needed an official-looking name and position to place at the end of the created message to make it believable. When you consider the thousands of people who contacted her, consider also the many who did not, the people who were gullible enough to believe it, who probably forwarded it on to their circle of e-mail buddies. Discussion The policewoman was hopeful that the calls would stop, but will they? How or why will they ever stop? This points out how casual use of e-mail can become problematic? What could be done to prevent this crisis? What can the police lady do to recover Phishing This is the actual wording from a phishing scam sent via e-mail. We are using the name of a fictional bank, Phonybank. The log-in digits and account numbers are, of course, fictional too.
