'Help Natalie Live'
Ignore this hoax. Parent 'Krista Marie' says her newborn daughter 'Natalie' has brain cancer, and AOL promises to donate 5 cents toward treatment for each time this email is forwarded.
Description: Email hoax
Circulating since: Nov 2002
Status: False
Email example contributed by Eric B., Nov. 21, 2002:
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Subject: FW: Help Natalie Live
Hello, My name is Krista Marie and I have a new born baby named Natalie. She means the world to me, and just resently, the doctors have discovered that my little Natalie has Brain Cancer. Unfortunatly my husband and I don't have the money to pay for the bill. But my husband and I have worked out a deal with AOL and they have agreed to give us 5cents to each person that recived this e-mail. So please, forward this to everyone you know, and help out my little Natalie and I. http://www.babypics.com/Cronce/pictures/sleeping/Booties.JPEG - Krista Marie |
Analysis: I hate to be the one to break the news, but "little Natalie" doesn't exist. AOL isn't donating 5 cents for each person who receives this chain letter. This is a hoax, based on many similar hoaxes that preceded it, including the Rachel Arlington, Jessica Mydek and "Slow Dance" chain letters. Strange as it may seem, some people get their jollies by inventing sick children and loosing chain letters on the Internet on their behalf. If you forward such messages, you're only playing into the hands of these pranksters.
The child in the image accompanying (or linked from) the message is actually named Megan. According to the Website's directory listing (now defunct), the photo was uploaded in 1996.
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Further reading:
Charity Hoaxes Tug Cynically at Heart Strings
In all, more than a dozen variants of this cynical hoax have made the rounds since 1997, each circulating in the name of a nonexistent victim and each promising charitable donations that will never be made.
Last updated: 11/16/02
