Internet hoaxes are capable of tricking not only your grandma, but also the Los Angeles Police Department. An 8-year-old yarn about terrorists — dressed as UPS workers thanks to uniforms bought on eBay — who could deliver explosives disguised as packages spurred the force to send out an alert to residents. An unidentified state law enforcement agency passed the info to the police department.

The Los Angeles Daily News reports the hoax comes in the form of an email with a U.S. Department of Homeland Security signature. When the department discovered the warning was false, it retracted the alert and acknowledged the fraud.

An expert from the notice:

“However, the advice is good in that you should always verify the delivery service has arrived with their own company vehicle,” reads the notice. “Our deepest APOLOGIZES (sic)…”

The story says the FBI, UPS and the Department of Homeland Security have all debunked the hoax, which spawned from post-9/11 paranoia.

LAPD warning exposed as Internet hoax; alert retracted [Los Angeles Daily News]
(Thanks, Brett!)

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