to wonder what the real motive is behind these chain emails

[GnomeDePlume]

DM has forwarded yet another chain email to me warning of some lurking terror in the neighbourhood. Today the risk is of paper being stuck to the rear windscreen by potential car jackers (driver gets out to remove paper and loitering carjacker leaps in and drives off).

Is this a genuine risk? Really?

It claimed to be a warning from the police but had no logo or any other formal element to it. There was nothing to click on or link to.

If it isnt genuine why does someone go to the trouble of writing these things up?

I know that DM swallows these hook, line and sinker as she has now reached the age where she does assume that there is a 'them' out to get her. These sorts of things just feed her newspaper induced paranoia.

So if it isnt real, why do people write these things and then forward them on to 200 of their closest friends?

People fall for these "urban legends" because they seem convincing and they want to be helpful by passing on the "information".

Many of these hoaxes are listed on Snopes

These drive me insane. Men in the back of cars, breast cancer caused by drinking bottled water which has been in your car, Facebook everything . . .

I think people genuinely think they are being helpful. It's always a friend of a friend mentioned so I sometimes wonder how much is about a little bit of reflected attention.

I delete immediately.

there are so many urban legends out there - some stemming from an original case - so when people read them it rings a bell and seems possible

The worrying thing was that the advised defence for this threat was to reverse park. My DM is a menace when attempting any sort of complicated parking manoeuvre!