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We've all read them - "We're going to break a world record!" "Ten thousand people have already read this! Don't end it!" ... and so on. Chain letters run the gamut from "moderately interesting" to flat-out "obnoxious." Learn how to end this postal annoyance - read on after the jump for instructions.

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Steps

  1. 1
    Explain to them that it's not real. Some stories are believable, and should present a caring in a person that would make them pass it on, such as a supposed kidnapping. But if your friend is sending you stories of Billy 'Smiley' Evans, or the one where the woman's thighs were stolen, they're obviously doing it for humour's sake, and will not appreciate a lecture on how fake it is. So determine if the story is believable or not. If it is, look it up to see if it's real. You can try sites like Snopes or Hoax-Slayer, which is a great way to find out if the story is real. Once you get the inside scoop, you can explain to your friend the real deal.
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  2. 2
    Inform them about how you honestly don't give a hoot. It may be a bit of a let-down, but in the long run, it's worth it. Just tell them about how you don't care about women who had their thighs stolen by Lindsay Lohan, or about some kid who's body is a burlap sack. Explain that when such a story is true, you'll certainly try to help. But you don't think made up stories are going to help anyone, and will just cause a nuisance.
  3. 3
    Don't pass on chain letters. Most people will get the picture that you don't like them, and will stop sending you them. As soon as you start reading a letter from your so called 'buddy' that begins with something like, "We're gonna start a record! Breaking the chain will cause bad luck!", recycle it. And you shouldn't expect a surge of bad luck coming your way. If your friend is superstitious like that, that's great. Just tell them to share their nice letters with some of their fellow superstitious friends, since you just don't seem to get much out of it. Make sure you don't come across too harsh, because they honestly could just be mal-informed about how false things like this are. Don't lecture, just reveal little bits of info so they don't feel like you think they're stupid.
  4. 4
    Act like you didn't get them. In some cases, your friends may just be kidding around to bug you on purpose. Don't say anything about that long letter you received yesterday. They may try to bring up conversation about it by saying something like, "Hey, did you get that story yesterday?", "Yeah, it sounded pretty believable". Say a simple, "Nah, I didn't get it." They'll think they got the wrong address or number. After a while of doing this, they'll start to think all their information on you is wrong, and won't send anymore.
  5. 5
    Change your phone number, move, or reveal false info. This is a last resort. If the chain mail gets too bad, ask your service provider for a new cell phone number. You can also move, but this is not recommended, since it probably isn't worth a lot of money. When people ask you for your phone number, you can just say a fake number. If your friends already know your phone number, you can tell them that it was changed as part of a new service plan. If you don't want to say that your information has changed, and if the problem was mainly to your phone, you could say that you can't accept texts anymore. They probably won't waste money and will stop. You could also try saying that you temporarily can't receive mail from your street address, and never get back to them on when it's up again. Just make it sound believable, and you should be fine and chain-letter-free.
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Tips

  • Remember, no matter how much it may sound like him, Bill Gates will not be sending you five dollars for every person you send it to. Even he isn't that rich.
  • Be firm when you say that you dislike chain mail. If you sigh and lazily explain that they're not the best things in the world, they won't believe you. Make sure that really know that it's bugging you and that you want it to stop.
  • If you don't know who it is that sent you the email or chain mail don't answer it, ignore it, and show your parents or just delete it right away because it might be a virus.
  • If the people who are sending you these letters aren't your friends, don't let them know you got the letter. They're probably doing it to annoy you.
  • Don't lecture your friends on how stupid and fake some chain letters are. They probably already know, and this will end up in more letters. Instead, try to present evidence that the letter isn't real, such as the one where doctors say that "Debbie Shwartz's son is a 'vegetable'" (which doctors wouldn't say because it is considered very offensive)

Warnings

  • Don't post your email address or street address on sites, because this can result in a lot of spam and chains.
  • Make sure you tell the right people that chain letters annoy you. Some will be glad about it, and will happily send you a flood of letters.
  • Moving is a last resort.

Article Info

Categories: Letters

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