How gullible we are

Today morning when I checked my emails, among other routine mails, one particular mail caught my attention. This was about a 14-month-old girl, Alexandra, from Poland who was burnt and struggling for life. Content of email informed about a fire incidence and subsequent medical treatment of child. There was also a photo attached of her half burnt face.

NO, this posting is not to create some sympathy or fund raising for treatment, but on the contrary it's just opposite. Last line of posting "For each forwarded email her parents will get 3 cents" made me think that something is wrong. I figured a lot of weak points in this mail. How can person or agency keep track of all the mails in the world and donate 3 cents for this particular mail? There was no mention of any person/agency who is going to support this "noble cause". There was no mention of time when this incidence took place, so I am not sure whether this incidence is latest or a very long chain of forwarded message is coming to me after few years. These obvious loopholes inspired me to do some googling.

Googling confirmed my apprehension. You can read about this hoax mail here, here and here. Although the incidence was real, there is no such thing as "3 cents for each forward mail". This incidence took place in June-05 and original mail had bank account number of Alexandra's parent so that donors could directly contribute for the treatment. But somewhere someone changed it and I am at loss of words for making a comment about his/her mentality. Current version of e-mail does not help baby/parents and its just a wastage of time for sender and receiver.

This post is an attempt to build awareness about such hoax mails. Although the intention of a common forwarder is good, these kinds of mails are unnecessary burden. At times I receive such mails about god, some chain letter or patients suffering from some incurable disease. This makes me think how better we are, with all the knowledge of science and technology, than an ignorant villager, who trusts some demagogue same way as we trust these hoax mails. Such mails make use of our genuine sympathy for suffering of others or fear of god/unknown penalty.

Use logic before forwarding such mails, rather then being cheated without even knowing.