The next time one of these often-amusing, sometimes-frightening messages lands in your inbox, copy the subject line, head to Snopes, then paste the subject into the search field.

When you reach the page that shows the "False" nature of the legend, copy the URL, return to the e-mail, click Reply All, and paste it in. (I like to add something like, "Don't believe everything you read!", just so I can feel extra smug.)

In other words, break the chain, people! Stop forwarding this nonsense to people you supposedly care about. Yes, I'm talking to you, Mom.