Gothamist: Terror Warning Email Club, Rule #1: Don't Use Email

homeland security is a joke

Fri, 14 Oct 2005 12:37:35 -0500

> "Doesn't anyone remember that similar emails >have been sent out many times? "My father who >works for Ryder trucks reports that 20 trucks >have been stolen, and the government things >they will be used for truck bombs!"" Those e-mails are generally chain mail. As an individual receiving one of them, there is know way to determine when or from whom it originated. This was different because the person sending the e-mail included their name, place of business, phone number and e-mail address. What really kills me about this situation is that the person/people at Homeland security are probably going to lose their jobs. If you were in that position, wouldn't you call your kid and tell him/her about it? Even after NYC made the threat public, Homeland Security denied that it was credible. That's f'd up.

homeland security is a joke

Fri, 14 Oct 2005 12:35:32 -0500

homeland security is a joke

Fri, 14 Oct 2005 12:34:16 -0500

S.D.

Fri, 14 Oct 2005 12:11:14 -0500

Your right but in this case, if they track the EMail back to a DHS mail server (Easier than people think), the person sending this is in trouble. At the least DHS employees sign confidentiality agreements.

Patrick

Fri, 14 Oct 2005 11:53:08 -0500

Here's the thing, though. Doesn't anyone remember that similar emails have been sent out many times? "My father who works for Ryder trucks reports that 20 trucks have been stolen, and the government things they will be used for truck bombs!" "A cousin with the FBI reports that containers of chlorine gas have been stolen...." "A Muslim guy told his girlfriend not to visit shopping malls between November 12 and November 18" Remember all them? How is this any different?