This page compiles the 25 urban legends currently circulating most widely, as determined by frequency of access, user searches, reader e-mail, and media coverage.
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Thursday, January 03, 2013
Facebook Privacy
Claim that posting a notice on Facebook will protect your copyright and privacy rights.
Postcard Virus
Warning about a computer virus masquerading as a postcard from a friend or family member.
ATM PIN Reversal
Claim that entering your PIN in reverse at any ATM will summon the police.
Exhibit B-5
Video purportedly shows a woman being hit by a car after she flees her home from a prank intruder.
Onion Contamination
Warning about contamination dangers with cut onions.
Hobby Lobby
Hobby Lobby filed a lawsuit over a federal mandate requiring employers to provide insurance coverage for contraceptives.
Confessions for the Holidays
Ben Stein's commentary about the observance of Christmas.
Mallory Owens Beating
Photograph purportedly shows a women named Mallory Owens who was severely beaten because she is a lesbian.
Cell Phone Numbers Given to Telemarketers
Claim that cell phone providers will soon be releasing customers' phone numbers to telemarketers.
Charitable Compensation
Comparison of the efficiency and salaries of top executives for several large charitable organizations.
The Folded Napkin
Young man with Down syndrome receives generous donations from truckers.
Carjacking
Warning that parking lot carjackers are placing flyers on rear windows of cars.
Missing Child: Skylar Neese
A 16-year-old girl named Skylar-Earl Neese is missing from her West Virginia home.
Congressional Reform Act of 2012
Proposed constitutional amendment seeks to require that laws apply equally to U.S. citizens and members of Congress.
809 Area Code Scam
Warning about scammers' sending pages from the 809 area code.
James Carville
Claim that James Carville said 'the Democratic constituency is just like a herd of cows.'
Sears Military Pay
E-mail lauds Sears for paying the difference in salaries and maintaining benefits for their called-up military reservist employees.
#-9-0 Phone Scam
Warning about scammers' running up long-distance charges by asking victims to press #-9-0 on their telephones.
Red Bull
Warning that Red Bull contains a dangerous stimulant linked to the formation of brain tumors.
Cash Back Scam
Warning that retail cashiers steal from customers by tricking them into requesting cash back and then pocketing their money
Small Arms Treaty
Claim that a U.N. small arms treaty signed by the U.S. provides a 'legal way around the 2nd Amendment.'
Three Simple Tests
Claim that administering three simple tests can help detect a stroke.
Muslim EID Stamp
Claim that a U.S. postage stamp commemorates Islamic holidays.
Update from Oklahoma
List of federal authority-defying legislation passed by the state of Oklahoma
Target Voucher/Gift Card Scam
Claim that Target is distributing free $500 vouchers or $1000 gift cards to users who click an online link.
Urban Legends Reference Pages © 1995-2013 by Barbara and David P. Mikkelson.
