What the heck is snopes, and why does it always show up on chain emails?

Snopes is a popular website among mostly a certain crowd, don't know how to describe it exactly, like a cross between people magazine and New York Times or whatever, and alot of people like to go there and read what is popular and then forward it to their friends, and the next thing you know you have got these chain letters started. I get many myself. Usually it is because the people who hang out on Snopes think they are a bit smarter than your average Joe and must educate the rest of us or something. I hope I explained that OK without offending anyone.

P.S. If you don't wish to listen to Snopes, nearly every email client has an option to make your own message filter independent of junk email settings. Look for "message filters" and have it filter out email that has the word Snopes either in the title or body of the letter, and you will be Snopes free

Snopes is a website that busts Urban Legends.

So if you hear a rumor go check it on Snopes they confirm it.

It's probably the most well-known of several sites that debunk hoaxes and urban legends, some of which are quite amusing. Check them out:

http://www.snopes.com/

http://www.hoax-slayer.com/

http://www.breakthechain.org/

http://urbanlegends.about.com/

Sophos has a list of virus hoaxes:

http://www.sophos.com/security/hoaxes/