FDNY Issues "Urban Legend" Security Alert

MARCH 13--Somebody needs to tell the New York City Fire Department about snopes.com, the Internet's leading urban legend site.

Because an FDNY chief last week circulated this internal memo warning of the "huge purchase" of United Parcel Service uniforms on eBay--perhaps by terrorists planning to pose as delivery men who could "drop off anything to anyone with dangerous consequences."

Chief Lawrence Connors told TSG that he issued the memo to FDNY personnel after receiving intelligence information from the U.S. Army's Regional Support Command. Connors added that he was told the Army alert was triggered by information from a "credible source."

Perhaps that military source needs to be reevaluated, since the uniform story is a hoax, according to spokesmen for both UPS and eBay. (1 page)