Email is a powerful way of spreading information quickly to lots of people. We've all received email with heart wrenching stories that come with requests that you share it with others. Before you forward that message, check it out to see that it's not a hoax.

To do this:
1. Highlight and copy a paragraph or several lines of text in the email.
2. Go to http://www.snopes.com and paste the copied text into the search box. 
3. Snopes houses a database of hoaxes and urban legends and you can easily see if what you've received is real.