Is it rumor or is it real?

The other day at work we received an email warning about a potential phone scam. In the scam, the email stated, a person would call and claim there was a warrant out for your arrest because you had failed to report for jury duty. The caller would then ask you to verify your name, birthdate and Social Security Number to make sure there was not an error. At the end of the call, if you had complied, the caller would then have all the information needed to steal your identity.

Sounds scary, but is it a real threat?
Yes it is.

We know this thanks to the folks at Snopes.com, a.k.a. the Urban Legends Reference Pages, who have been researching and debunking or validating urban legends on the Internet since 1995.

According to their research, this particular warning first began circulating on the Internet in 2005 and like most emails will pop up again from time to time, with slight variations, as email makes its way back and forth across the online world.

What makes this site considered an authority is their scientific goal and method of verifying information rather than to initially prove or disprove claims. The couple who run the site emphasize the "reference" quality of the site and document each of their points and conclusions with footnotes for you to do your own detective work if you choose.

Thankfully a site like this is out there to help the average citizen get informed about the stuff in their mail. Next time you get one of those "too good to be true" offers or "I really hope that isn't real" warnings, chances are excellent you will find information here to help you determine whether you should pay attention or ignore it.

A word to the wise, if the email post says "this was checked out on Snopes and it's true," don't take their word for it. Go check it out yourself.