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Amber Alert in Oshawa WI: Fake Alert Spreads Via Twitter & SMS
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by alia_d | August 19, 2009 at 02:49 pm
26773 views | 11 Recommendations | 14 comments
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An Amber Alert has been circulating far and wide on Twitter and SMS today to alert people to keep their eye out on Oshawa, Wisconsin for a "3 YEAR OLD GIRL TAKEN BY MAN DRIVING NEWER SILVER TRUCK Ontario PLATE # 72B 381."
However, according to David Emery, who writes for About.com's Guide to Urban Legends, the amber alert in Oshawa WI is a hoax that has happened before
The same fake Amber Alert that fooled tens of thousands of people last February is making the Twitter rounds again, with a vengeance. The only essential change is that the text now claims the abducted child is three years old, not seven.
In addition to the amber alert in Oshawa, WI, amber alerts mentioning Oshawa, NY and Oshawa, Florida are also circulating on Twitter.
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Kaitlyn (not verified)
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enlargetom
Pune, Maharastra, India
Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (14)
at 06:19 on August 20th, 2009
This exact same thing circulated a few weeks ago but it didn't specify Oshawa WI, it was assumed that it was Oshawa ON. I'll admit that I was one who fell for it. But hey, at least it's good to know people are taking notice and trying to pass this message around, in case this was a true story.
Luciano Galasso
at 06:29 on August 20th, 2009
Read all about the hoax and it's history on this link http://www.newsdurhamregion.com/article/133507
at 07:08 on August 20th, 2009
I think its sad someone would do that...its like the boy who cried wolf...when a real amber alert does occer no one will believe it cause of all the fake ones making there rounds...sad..just sad...people really need to get a freakin life
at 08:43 on August 20th, 2009
This is also being sent around Facebook...just minutes ago I received it stating Oshawa Florida. I punched in Oshawa Florida and got to this website and was informed of it's falseness! Great service you are providing NowPublic! It stopped with me thanks to you guys!
at 10:18 on August 20th, 2009
haha, everyone is making it there status on facebook, and i thought it was real, they said the guy was heading to my small town and i was like sh*t!
at 11:34 on August 20th, 2009
All I have to say is, Why? Why? Why? Why? What is the point of a fake amber alert? Haha so funny to joke about kids being taken by killers and rapists. No matter what- I'll always take an amber alert seriously- because we just can't afford to make it into a laughing matter.
at 12:13 on August 20th, 2009
If you ever want to see where the real active Amber Alerts are, you can go to: www.amberalert.gov/active.htm
at 12:39 on August 20th, 2009
Kaitlyn, kids start these "rumors" (be it a fake Amber alerts, the latest "super-virus" that'll wipe out your computer, telemarketers about to get cell-phone numbers, Microsoft sending you a check if you forward to 10 people, etc, etc) for the sole purpose of seeing how far they can spread. It's a social experiment. They write an informative-sounding email, and people down the line just assume it's correct, and pass it on (thinking they're doing "their part", when all they are really doing is spreading BS). Snopes is filled with samples of this.Now, don't think I'm defending them - I'm not. It's stupid and wastes time. A good rule of thumb I follow is, if an "alert" ASKS you to forward to your friends, just delete it. Every one I've gotten, snopes has verified as False.
at 17:46 on August 21st, 2009
I noticed once on My Space an Amber Alert out of Florida that My Space had sent out to everyone had turned out to be true.... Unfortunately the little girl is still missing and it has been about 6 months.... They still show her on the news and at that time it was covered on the news that the Amber Alert had been posted on My Space.
at 19:20 on August 20th, 2009
After I read this Amber Alert on Facebook and tried to copy-paste it into my status...my computer shut down with a virus...not sure if they're linked...but just so everyone knows
at 11:29 on August 21st, 2009
any positive comments about relaying fake alerts are misplaced. relaying fake alerts only serve to reduce the affectivness of any future attempts to distribute legitimate alerts
at 11:31 on August 21st, 2009
a claim of a copy-paste virus relationship to text on facebook! obviously you're just trying to add fuel to the hype
at 06:07 on August 22nd, 2009
the Amber alert is missing children not hoaxes.
at 08:20 on August 25th, 2009
Wow can anything be simple and real? People are definitely bored in life to have nothing better to do. I just hope that someday they don't have a child in their life turn up missing. Stupid people think sick things are funny. Grow up!!