Text of an advisory released today by the Tennessee Department of Correction:
NASHVILLE - An email transmission that is being circulated with claims of recent gang activity cannot be supported by current Department of Correction intelligence. The email appears to have been forwarded by a department employee but is not an official TDOC statement. The email states that gang members are using a new method to target women that involves sitting a baby car seat on the side of a road and attacking women as they approach.While the TDOC recognizes the gang element that extends to members housed in state correctional facilities, we cannot substantiate any claims made in the recent email transmission. Therefore, the public is advised to use caution when forwarding emails that do not appear to be official documents.
Specimen of the forwarded email:
Subject: FW: Driver beware
National Gang Week is starting: This is their new target method while driving on any roads, If you see a baby car seat sitting on the side of the road DO NOT STOP!!!! These are gangs targeting people, especially women, to stop their vehicle to help a baby. They make this baby look as if it has blood on itself or on its clothes, when you get out of your vehicle in attempt to help, the gangs jump out from cornfields or tall bushes. They have beaten women to near death, and then continue to rape them with baseball bats and other torture methods. This is not just a forward of information, it is within our area. If you do happen to see a car seat DO NOT STOP CALL THE POLICE IMMEDIATELY!! Please send this onto everyone you know.
Benjamin F. Bean
State Of Tennessee
Department Of Correction
Comments
I just got that, except at the end, it gave a number. I googled it just to see if it was true. glad it is not.
I just got this email at work, sent by a fellow coworker. I have the habit of researching every email like this I get, just to make sure it’s true before forwarding it. I think most people get scared very easily and start forwarding everything that gets in their mailbox. We should be smarter and always try to verify what we are communicating! Obviously, there will be times when what we get is true, and then, we should act upon it…
I received that same txt n southeast alabama. Thank GOD it is not true!
Yeah my aunt just sent this txt to me. I am a Sheriff Deputy here in Indiana and she wanted to know if this is true.
I heard nothing of this at work so I google it and came across this page.
I didn’t think it was real, but you never know. Their is some sick people out.
I got that also but mine came through as a text message on my phone. Is it true?
This is sick and wrong. I too am glad this is not true, but what happens if someone who would do this comes across this? I’d hope someone wouldn’t be this cruel. I hope the police will keep an eye out regardless.
i just got this as a text on my phone and thought it sounded wrong. good thing i researched it! how sick
there was also a text message with this written in it. this is how i heard of it through a text message
Whew….. thank God Im not a woman, does that mean Im safe?
i think whoever is sending this needs to realize how many people they have scared i received this text on friday and i was shocked and scared i am a mother of a toddler and i would have stopped to help if i was to ever see a baby or anyone hurt with all the crime out in the world hoaxes arent funny atlanta georgia
Just got this in Fresno, CA as a 6 pg text!!!
It might mean a joke to you. however, there are alternatives. Therefore, i suggest you take extra precautions for yourselfs..
Received this text message with different name and phone numbers about 5 minutes ago. I’m in SW Missouri and our “gang” violence is slim to none in this area. Still, it was good to bea ble to see that others have received this and discovered it is false.
omg, this thing scared me, i just got the email in California from Rita R. Reed,….i thought it was real
i got this txt this morning. 6 pages as well. scared the heck outta me. even if this isnt true, it really scares me. i dont think i am going to go walking or take my lil one to the park for a while!!!! even though my town is small, crazy crap happens here!!! imma be extra careful!
I received this on facebook posted it as a status until i found this page to find out it wasnt real.. Its spreading fast.. I am also a mother of a toddler and i think any mother would stop and get out to help.. Even tho it is not real some one could get a hold of the idea with this going around and do it.. So it just made me more aware that you shouldnt stop you should call the cops.. Especially if you have a child or children with you.. It makes you stop and think.. And yes it is scary but with the crazy world today it could happen so be aware..
There are some gross horrible perverted people out there, it wouldn’t suprise me if they saw this and tried to pull something like this…
I just got this as atext message on my cell in northeastern pennsylvania. The only difference is the ending…it says it is from “Rita R. Reed TN. Dept.Of Correction Central Dispatch 615-253-8182 615-401-6811 (fax)
I was completely skeptical about this message when I received it. I knew it was fake but I had to confirm my senses.
Imagine if there was a really infant in need of help that was abandoned and some bozo who received this E-mail just walks away?
Criminals, attacking criminals the 2000+ way.
just got on dec. 20 . my grandmother e-mailed it to me. i showed to my wife and started to freak out. i use mapquest and found it as a real address !! thank god its ffake
The details were just more gruesome than neccessary and that was a big flag.
Disgusting whether true or not
I hope some stupid bad guy didn’t have a light bulb go off in his head when he read this and think this was a good idea. It’s a bad deal for all the good people so willing to help others in need.
Everyone be careful and continue to do the right thing in every situation
I just sent that to everyone i Knew because wheter it was fake or not people need to be cautious. We have alot of crazy people in this world. Like one person stated on here that I hope some crazy man didn’t just get an idea from this. Yes we need to be careful anyways.
Be humane but still take pre cautions.
You know gangs are out there some care,some dont,but you have to have Faith in God He is the Higher Power
I just received this email from my sister. I have learned to check out every “canned” email, because 99% of them are false, and most are also old and just going round and round again and again. Everyone needs to check it out with Snopes or UrbanLegends before forwarding. It is so easy to do.
Although these emails are considered urban legends, I agree with Mary Campbell above. If not gangs, then other preps could be trying this tactic. Who knows – I could have been a victim when I saw an abandoned stroller in my town late at night. I’m lucky that I was in a hurry and decided to call the local pd instead of stopping to check it out. Who knows?
Whether it be true or not, it still could happen.
I urge women out there to be aware, and keep safe.
You can never be too sure.
I like the Sheriff (#4) Deputy that says it isn’t true, but
remember there are a lot of sick people out there. If I
saw a baby seat by the side of the road and didn’t have
a cell phone, I would get off and drive to a gas station and ask them to send a police car. Don’t take a chance
with anything today. Remember, we are living in a changed world, sorry to say that.
Who coordinates National Gang Week? Is there a Hallmark card for that?
Well.. how convenient for the theives/gangsters that ARE looking for new tactics/rites of passage…(cause they dont use email right?) I believe one should always use caution when they are travelling and or doing anything alone. Call the police… dont be a junior detective..(you arent getting paid to risk trouble) curiosity killed the cat
The thing about this is that someone somewhere had to come up with this idea to even put it out there. Whether or not it is true it has made me stop and think.. Being a nurse i would automatically stop to help, now—well let’s just hope i never have to make that choice
this hoax is world wide.It has just come to NZ, and even before I did any research, I could tell it was a hoax, as it said to ring 111 (our emergency number) 999 (australia?)or 911, and it implied that all gangs, worldwide, were employing the same new tactics, which is plainly ridiculous! Most gangs hate each other, and would not employ each others recruitmant tactics!
IF YOU EVER SEE A CARSEAT BY THER SIDE OF THE ROAD, IF YOU HAVE A SOUL, YOU SHOULD DO SOMETHING TO CHECK IT OUT!I realise that most women could be targets, on the side of the road at night, but also, most police are overworked and underpaid, so GO BACK WITH SOME STRONG MEN!
How would you feel if you drove past and did nothing, then saw the dead/dying baby on the newes when you got home…the baby that would have survived if someone HAD stoppede to help 10 minutes sooner!
If your conscienece can handle that, then you have a colder heart than I do, especially since you have BEEN TO THIS WEBSITE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE EMAIL WAS A HOAX!
My wife gets dozens of emails from her “friends.” Her friends are very computer ignorant, and forward any and every email that comes her way and to everyone they know. Go to snopes.com and see if its true or not. Common sense will tell you its not true. Police don’t send emails like this. You should assume they are all hoaxes. This is also how viruses are spread.
The answer is very simple: (and especially Mary Campbell and others, who state that they forward all of them) If you are one of these forwarders, please STOP forwarding them! You are not helping anyone to “be cautious.” You are part of the problem by perpetuating these hoaxes, and YOU may actually be responsible for putting this or other ideas into someone’s head by keeping these myths going. This is exactly what the originators of these hoaxes want.
Also, most of the forwarded email sent to you usually includes previous emails with up to 20 email addresses. Please learn how to send BCC (Blind Carbon Copy)when you do forward emails. Otherwise, you are continuously broadcasting all of these email addresses each email you forward, including yours.
I live in Canada and just received a similar email – the only thing that is different is that the «official» document inserted seems to be from a government agency.
They also advise that eggs may be thrown in your windshield to not try to wash it as it will simply blurr your vision.
Even if this email is a hoax, the warnings are still very good – you just never know what criminals will thing of.
Glad to know this is not true, however by this email having an increaded level of distribution all over the idea will spread. Who is to say this wont be attempted and in the heat of the momment the driver forgets this email….. reality..
I just recieved a similar email from a co-worker today so it’s clear the message is still going around.
I always check this kind of email and so far all the ones I have recieved have been fakes.
These people should find something better to do with their time.