Hoaxes are a particularly annoying form of spam, or "junk" email. Unlike most spam, the driving force behind email hoaxes are not driven by companies looking for a profit... rather, hoaxes are spread by ordinary people who believe the messages' "factual" content is legitimate.

Types of hoaxes
Hoaxes fall into many different categories:

• Chain letters
• Fake charities
• Identity theft ("phishing") 
• Money-making schemes
• Virus warnings

How to detect a hoax
The best course of action is to cross-check the "facts" provided in the email message. Snopes.com is an excellent site which debunks a wide range of urban legends while Hoaxbusters.com concentrates its efforts on debunking email hoaxes. You can also forward questionable messages to the Technology Support Center for analysis, but keep in mind that 99% of the time, the email in question is already mentioned somewhere on Snopes or Hoaxbusters. Please check these sites first, if possible.

Phishing
"Phishing" is a very prevalent form of deception in which hackers send fraudulent emails intended to trick a recipient into disclosing personal information (usually of a financial nature). A common theme in phishing scams is an official-sounding request for the recipient to "update their account info". If you suspect the legitimacy of a compant's request, call the customer support phone number for that company. Do not rely on any contact info provided in suspect emails, do not open any attachments, and do not click any links contained in the message.

Microsoft hoaxes
Warnings that originate directly from Microsoft are often suspect, especially if they urge you to click on a link which will allegedly update your PC against a new threat. Microsoft does not distribute such messages to users via mass email. If you are in doubt about whether an update is actually available, check Microsoft's Windows Update site first.

Virus hoaxes
Virus hoaxes are often the most troublesome email to deal with, as well-meaning people spread them far and wide in an effort to help friends and family. It is wise to remain skeptical of these warnings, especially if the message does not originate directly from your ISP or a known antivirus company.