Re: Fwd: Fw: Trying to pass E-Mail Charge!

[Guest guest]

I believe this is a Hoax

Description: This email hoax warns of Federal Bill 602P which the author claims will impose a 5-cent email tax on every delivered email.

The Facts: There is no Federal Bill 602P nor is their a Congressional representative named Tony Schnell. Both the facts and the email are a fake. The email has been in circulation since at least 1999. Unlike most hoaxes, it is detailed and well-written, perhaps making it seem more believable and thus explaining its successful run as a hoax.

source: http://antivirus.about.com/cs/hoaxes/p/emailtax.htm

Jack

Federal Bill 602P-Mail Charge> > >> > >Guess the warnings were true. Federal Bill 602P charges 5-cents per> > >E-mail sent. It figures! No more free E-mail! We knew this was> > coming!!> > >Bill 602P will permit the Federal Government to charge a 5-cent charge> > >on every delivered E-mail.> > >> > >Please read the following carefully if you intend to stay online and> > >continue using E-mail. The last few months have revealed an alarming> > >trend in the Government of the United States attempting to quietly push> > >through legislation that will affect our use of the Internet.> > >> > >Under proposed legislation, the US Postal Service will be attempting> > >to bill E-mail users out of "alternative postage fees."> > >> > >Bill 602P will permit the Federal Government to charge a 5-cent> > >surcharge on every e-mail delivered, by billing Internet Service> > >Providers at source. The consumer would then be billed in turn by the> > >ISP. Washington, DC lawyer Stepp is working without pay to> > >prevent this legislation from becoming law.> > >> > >The US Postal Service is claiming lost revenue, due to the> > proliferation> > >of E-mail, is costing nearly $230,000,000 in revenue per year. You may> > >have noticed their recent ad campaign: "There is nothing like a> > >letter."> > >> > >Since the average person received about 10 pieces of E-mail per day in> > >1998, the cost of the typical individual would be an additional 50> > >cents a day -- or over $180 per year -- above and beyond their regular> > >Internet costs.> > >> > >Note that this would be money paid directly to the US Postal Service> > >for a service they do not even provide.> > >> > >The whole point of the Internet is democracy and noninterference. You> > >are already paying an exorbitant price for snail mail because of> > >bureaucratic inefficiency. It currently takes up to 6 days for a> > >letter to be delivered from coast to coast. If the US Postal Service is> > >allowed to tinker with E-mail, it will mark the end of the "free"> > Internet> > >in> > >the United States.> > >> > >Congressional representative, Tony Schnell ® has even suggested a> > >"$20-$40 per month surcharge on all Internet service" above and beyond> > >the governments proposed E-mail charges. Note that most of the major> > >newspapers have ignored the story the only exception being the> > >Washingtonian which called the idea of E-mail surcharge "a useful> > >concept who's time has come" (March 6th, 1999 Editorial). Do not sit> > >by and watch your freedom erode away!> > >> > >Send this E-mail to EVERYONE on your list, and tell all your friends> > and> > >relatives to write their congressional representative and say "NO" to> > >Bill 602P.> > >> > >It will only take a few moments of your time and could very well be> > >instrumental in killing a bill we do not want.> > >> > >PLEASE FORWARD!> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> >> > _________________________________________________________________> > Get rid of annoying pop-up ads with the new MSN Toolbar - FREE!> > http://toolbar.msn.com/go/onm00200414ave/direct/01/> >> >>>>>>>Gods Blessings, Sally_________________________________________________________________Get reliable access on MSN 9 Dial-up. 3 months for the price of 1! (Limited-time offer) http://join.msn.com/?page=dept/dialup & pgmarket=en-us & ST=1/go/onm00200361ave/direct/01/Please visit the Zapper homepage athttp://www.ZapLife.org

[Guest guest]

Didn't this appear on April Fool's Day?

On Friday, April 2, 2004, at 09:06 AM, RJS wrote:

> hey mr duffy,,,,,  your way up on the news,,,,,at  least i beleive you

> should be  (lol)

>

>

>

> what do you think of this crap,,,is our lovely government about to

> step on the little guy once more???

>

> bob in ms

>

>

> > > >Subject: Federal Bill 602P-Mail Charge

> > > >

> > > >Guess the warnings were true.  Federal Bill 602P charges 5-cents

> per

> > > >E-mail sent. It figures!  No more free E-mail!  We knew this was

> > > coming!!

> > > >Bill 602P will permit the Federal Government to charge a  5-cent

> charge

> > > >on every delivered E-mail.

> > > >

> > > >Please read the following carefully if you intend to stay online

> and

> > > >continue using E-mail.  The last few months have revealed an

> alarming

> > > >trend in the Government of the United States attempting to

> quietly push

> > > >through legislation that will affect our use of the Internet.

> > > >

> > > >Under proposed legislation, the US Postal Service will be

> attempting

> > > >to  bill E-mail users out of " alternative postage fees. "

> > > >

> > > >Bill 602P will permit the Federal Government to charge a 5-cent

> > > >surcharge on every e-mail delivered, by billing Internet Service

> > > >Providers at source.  The consumer would then be billed in turn

> by the

> > > >ISP.  Washington, DC lawyer Stepp is working without pay

> to

> > > >prevent this legislation from becoming law.

> > > >

> > > >The US Postal Service is claiming lost revenue, due to the

> > > proliferation

> > > >of E-mail, is costing nearly $230,000,000 in revenue per year.

> You may

> > > >have noticed their recent ad campaign: " There is nothing like a

> > > >letter. "

> > > >

> > > >Since the average person received about 10 pieces of E-mail per

> day in

> > > >1998, the cost of the typical individual would be an additional 50

> > > >cents  a day -- or over $180 per year -- above and beyond their

> regular

> > > >Internet costs.

> > > >

> > > >Note that this would be money paid directly to the US Postal

> Service

> > > >for a service they do not even provide.

> > > >

> > > >The whole point of the Internet is democracy and

> noninterference.  You

> > > >are already paying an exorbitant price for snail mail because of

> > > >bureaucratic inefficiency.  It currently takes up to 6 days for a

> > > >letter to be delivered from coast to coast. If the US Postal

> Service is

> > > >allowed to tinker with E-mail, it will mark the end of the " free "

> > > Internet

> > > >in

> > > >the United States.

> > > >

> > > >Congressional representative, Tony Schnell ® has even suggested

> a

> > > > " $20-$40 per month surcharge on all Internet service " above and

> beyond

> > > >the governments proposed E-mail charges.  Note that most of  the

> major

> > > >newspapers have ignored the story the only exception being the

> > > >Washingtonian which called the idea of E-mail surcharge " a useful

> > > >concept who's time has come " (March 6th, 1999 Editorial).  Do not

> sit

> > > >by  and watch your freedom erode away!

> > > >

> > > >Send this E-mail to EVERYONE on your list, and tell all your

> friends

> > > and

> > > >relatives to write their congressional representative and say

> " NO " to

> > > >Bill 602P.

> > > >

> > > >It will only take a few moments of your time and could very well

> be

> > > >instrumental in killing a bill we do not want.

> > > >

> > > >PLEASE FORWARD!

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > >

> > > _________________________________________________________________

> > > Get rid of annoying pop-up ads with the new MSN Toolbar - FREE!

> > > http://toolbar.msn.com/go/onm00200414ave/direct/01/

> > >

> > >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >Gods Blessings,  Sally

>

> _________________________________________________________________

> Get reliable access on MSN 9 Dial-up. 3 months for the price of 1!

> (Limited-time offer)

> http://join.msn.com/?page=dept/dialup & pgmarket=en-us & ST=1/go/

> onm00200361ave/direct/01/

>

>

>

> Please visit the Zapper homepage at

> http://www.ZapLife.org

>

>

<image.tiff>

>

>

[Guest guest]

This is a very well documented hoex.

Not based in fact whatsoever. I guess it has returned as a April fools day gag.

Dave in Maine

Federal Bill 602P-Mail Charge> > >> > >Guess the warnings were true. Federal Bill 602P charges 5-cents per> > >E-mail sent. It figures! No more free E-mail! We knew this was> > coming!!> > >Bill 602P will permit the Federal Government to charge a 5-cent charge> > >on every delivered E-mail.> > >> > >Please read the following carefully if you intend to stay online and> > >continue using E-mail. The last few months have revealed an alarming> > >trend in the Government of the United States attempting to quietly push> > >through legislation that will affect our use of the Internet.> > >> > >Under proposed legislation, the US Postal Service will be attempting> > >to bill E-mail users out of "alternative postage fees."> > >> > >Bill 602P will permit the Federal Government to charge a 5-cent> > >surcharge on every e-mail delivered, by billing Internet Service> > >Providers at source. The consumer would then be billed in turn by the> > >ISP. Washington, DC lawyer Stepp is working without pay to> > >prevent this legislation from becoming law.> > >> > >The US Postal Service is claiming lost revenue, due to the> > proliferation> > >of E-mail, is costing nearly $230,000,000 in revenue per year. You may> > >have noticed their recent ad campaign: "There is nothing like a> > >letter."> > >> > >Since the average person received about 10 pieces of E-mail per day in> > >1998, the cost of the typical individual would be an additional 50> > >cents a day -- or over $180 per year -- above and beyond their regular> > >Internet costs.> > >> > >Note that this would be money paid directly to the US Postal Service> > >for a service they do not even provide.> > >> > >The whole point of the Internet is democracy and noninterference. You> > >are already paying an exorbitant price for snail mail because of> > >bureaucratic inefficiency. It currently takes up to 6 days for a> > >letter to be delivered from coast to coast. If the US Postal Service is> > >allowed to tinker with E-mail, it will mark the end of the "free"> > Internet> > >in> > >the United States.> > >> > >Congressional representative, Tony Schnell ® has even suggested a> > >"$20-$40 per month surcharge on all Internet service" above and beyond> > >the governments proposed E-mail charges. Note that most of the major> > >newspapers have ignored the story the only exception being the> > >Washingtonian which called the idea of E-mail surcharge "a useful> > >concept who's time has come" (March 6th, 1999 Editorial). Do not sit> > >by and watch your freedom erode away!> > >> > >Send this E-mail to EVERYONE on your list, and tell all your friends> > and> > >relatives to write their congressional representative and say "NO" to> > >Bill 602P.> > >> > >It will only take a few moments of your time and could very well be> > >instrumental in killing a bill we do not want.> > >> > >PLEASE FORWARD!> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> >> > _________________________________________________________________> > Get rid of annoying pop-up ads with the new MSN Toolbar - FREE!> > http://toolbar.msn.com/go/onm00200414ave/direct/01/> >> >>>>>>>Gods Blessings, Sally_________________________________________________________________Get reliable access on MSN 9 Dial-up. 3 months for the price of 1!(Limited-time offer)http://join.msn.com/?page=dept/dialup & pgmarket=en-us & ST=1/go/onm00200361ave/direct/01/Please visit the Zapper homepage athttp://www.ZapLife.org<image.tiff>

[Guest guest]

Actually this thing did start out as a hoax.. However, in a strange

case of life imitating fiction, this kind of idea WAS raised on

Capitol Hill this past week (according to an AP brief I read at work

[WFLA-TV newsroom].) However, the reality is this: Any lawmaker

supporting such a squirrely idea would have a political life

expectancy shorter than a Mideast suicide bomber. And actual

consideration of this hoax inspired idea lasted fewer seconds than you

can count on both hands.

read: http://michaud.house.gov/email_tax.asp

The discussion was so short that most media did not bother to mention

it.. I do not think we aired it in any newscast. But I will check the

archive at work Saturday (today) to make sure. If we did.. I will

reprint the verbatim here later.

If you have time... it would not hurt to reinforce your feelings about

this - should some lame duck try to breathe life into this stupid plan

for generating revenue. Send your rep a note via

http://www.house.gov/writerep/

Be ready to get a form note saying the report is a hoax.. but taking a

few moments to share your feelings will still get tallied.. and

discourage members of Congress should they ever consider giving this

idea serious consideration - once they figure out how much the tax

breaks for the wealthy and the actual cost of the White House Rx plan

and war budget will add to the federal deficit. It will not be long

before there's a desperate scramble to reduce the red ink.

Stay well..

Duffey