SMH falls for the email that was too good to be true
The Sydney Morning Herald’s diary today reports the always amusing story of an email that went viral after an arrogant new investment banker emailed his new colleagues.
It was hilarious: “Looking to be a rock star at this place – feel free to send your tips but I think I’ve got this one covered.”
It was also a hoax.
Of course it did take deep investigative journalism to find out that it was a hoax.
When Mumbrella came across the story six days ago we, boringly enough, rang the organisation involved and checked whether it was real. It wasn’t.
Obviously such investigative journalism isn’t for everyone.
Presumably the simple act of going to Google was too much too. There are plenty of stories debunking the hoax online.
And there was even one other way they could have found out. The SMH’s Business Day also covered it – and reported it as a hoax – on Saturday.
But why on earth would you expect the SMH’s staff to read the SMH?
How many sub-editors did it take to write this story?
Too.
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“Obviosuly such investigative journalism isn’t for everyone.”
Obviosuly 🙂
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There may be ‘plenty of sotries’ debunking the hoax, but this story could clearly have done with a few more subs…
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There is great functionality in WordPress as part of JetPack that checks your spelling and grammar before it allows you to post…..
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Typos sorted – ta
Tim
Well it’s now being reported wider than that: http://www.theaustralian.com.a.....6166759486
It’s being called “a hoax” – so I’m presuming someone else got on his computer and sent the email..
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How do we know its a hoax? Maybe Citigroup is just saying that for PR reasons…
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forgot to mention, he would have a good case for defamation against people who reported it if its not true – especially the people with deep pockets like newspapers.
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These pranks go on all the time… if anyone leaves their desk and their computer unlocked then its fair game… BOOM!
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