SR News: Organ Theft Hoax Warning


The Organ Theft Hoax!

This hoax doesn't involve a virus and it's an extremely old one.  (We  first
saw a version of this hoax four years ago!) But we have gotten a huge number
of questions about this  hoax  and  we  have  even  had  reports  that  some
newspapers are reporting this hoax as fact (this is not unusual; a number of
newspapers have reported other hoaxes as factual stories!). Here is the hoax
in it's most common form:

      This story came  from  the  "INSERT  ANY  NEWSPAPER  HERE"  newspaper.
      Apparently it occurred during Fall Premier-a University tradition that
      is a celebration  of  the  end  of  midterms.  "Reason  to  not  party
      anymore"- This guy went out last Saturday night to  a  party.  He  was
      having a good time, had a couple of beers and some girl seemed to like
      him and invited him to go to another  party.  He  quickly  agreed  and
      decided to go along with  her.  She  took  him  to  a  party  in  some
      apartment and they continued= to drink, and  even  got  involved  with
      some other drugs (unknown which). The next thing he knew, he  woke  up
      completely naked in a bathtub filled with ice.

      He was still feeling the effects of the drugs, but  looked  around  to
      see he was alone. He looked down at his chest, which had: "CALL 911 OR
      YOU WILL DIE" written on it in lipstick. He saw a phone was on a stand
      next to the tub, so he picked it up and dialed. He  explained  to  the
      EMS operator what the situation was and that he didn't know  where  he
      was, what he took, or why he was really calling. She  advised  him  to
      get out of the tub. He did, and she asked him to look himself over  in
      the mirror. He did, and appeared normal, so she t= old  him  to  check
      his back. He did, only to find two 9 inch slits on his lower back. She
      told him to get back in the tub immediately, and they  sent  a  rescue
      team over.

      Apparently, after being examined,  he  found  out  more  of  what  had
      happened. His kidneys were stolen. They are worth 10,000 dollars  each
      on the black market.

      I wish to warn you about a new crime ring that is  targeting  business
      travelers. This ring is well organized, well funded, has very  skilled
      personnel, and is currently in most major  cities  and  recently  very
      active in New Orleans. The crime begins when a business traveler  goes
      to a lounge for a drink at the end of the work day. A  person  in  the
      bar walks up as they sit alone and offers to buy  them  a  drink.  The
      last thing the traveler remembers until they wake up in a  hotel  room
      bath tub, their body submerged to their neck in ice, is  sipping  that
      drink. There is a note taped to the wall instructing them not to  move
      and to call 911. A phone is on a small table next to the  bathtub  for
      them to call. The  business  traveler  calls  who  have  become  quite
      familiar with this crime. The business traveler is instructed  by  the
      911 operator to very slowly and carefully reach behind them  and  feel
      if there is a tube protruding from  their  lower  back.  The  business
      traveler finds the tube and answers, "Yes."  The  911  operator  tells
      them to remain still, having already  sent  paramedics  to  help.  The
      operator knows that both of the business traveler's kidneys have  been
      harvested.

      This is not a scam or out of a science fiction novel, it is  real.  It
      is documented and confirmable. If you travel or someone close  to  you
      travels, please be careful. Sadly, this is very true. My husband is  a
      Houston Firefighter/EMT and they have received alerts  regarding  this
      crime ring. It is to be taken very seriously. The daughter of a friend
      of a fellow firefighter had this happen to her. Skilled  doctor's  are
      performing these crimes! (which, by the way have been highly noted  in
      the Las Vegas area). Additionally, the military  has  received  alerts
      regarding this. This story blew me away. I really want as many  people
      to see this as possible so please bounce this to whoever you can.

This hoax has the typical hoax request to send the hoax on to as many people
as possible. The hoax has made its way  to  some  medical  people  who  have
forwarded it and given it more credibility but it remains a hoax.

The above hoax  remains  remarkably  little  changed  from  the  version  we
received four years ago. The recent (possible) publication in newspapers may
have given this hoax a new life.

And now the facts..

While the above story is not true,  the  situation  is  certainly  possible.
People are  quite  commonly  drugged  as  described  above  and  robbed  (or
otherwise taken advantage of). So, although the above story  is  a  hoax,  I
strongly advise you to make sure you are not drugged in the manner described.

Update:

We've had a number of you report that this hoax is  valid  because  a  valid
authority claims it really  happened.  None  of  these  have  proven  to  be
legitimate (or in one  case  someone  who  should  know  better  was  simply
forwarding the hoax.) If you think this is legit, please, PLEASE, see if you
can contact the so-called authority to  verify  that  they  are  not  simply
passing along this hoax.

Write to Stiller Research: support@stiller.com

                                     Copyright c 1998 Stiller Research.
                                    Document Last Modified May 19, 1998.

[=- 㡫  ୠ ᪨ 蠫 //  #2 //  1998  -=]
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