Don’t Drink Coca-Cola Products After September 5, 2002-Fiction!
Summary of eRumor:
A person allegedly lent a $1.50 to a Middle-eastern man who came up short on cash in a grocery store line in St. Louis. He thanked the person and said it was the first time he’d been treated with kindness since the Attack on America on September 11, 2001. To repay her, he said he would give her some valuable information: Don’t drink Coke products after September 5, 2002.
The Truth:
The police and FBI in St. Louis say there is no truth to this. It is one of many eRumors as the first anniversary of the Attack on America approached. It is also a common type of eRumor…someone being kind to a terrorist without knowing it and as a thank-you, getting a warning about pending terrorism. These stories also circulated after September 11, 2001 and prior to July 4, 2002.
Last updated 8/19/02
A real example of the eRumor as it has appeared on the Internet:
Hi everyone-I was in St. Louis this week (August 8 ) and my cousin’s friend had a weird experience at Dierberg’s Grocery Store in St. Louis (South County).
She was checking out with her groceries and a man in front of her ran out of money when paying for his groceries. He was $1.50 short. “Lisa” gave him the $1.50 and he thanked her. She then paid for her groceries and went out to her car. The man approached her to thank her again. He said that she was the first person to treat him kindly since Sept. 11. He had had things thrown at him, nasty words said to him, and run off the road because he is Middle Eastern. He said he wanted to repay her, and she said not to worry about it. He then told her that he will repay her by giving her some information she may find valuable: Do not drink Coca Cola products after Sept. 5, 2002. Then he ran off to his car.
She has reported this incident to the FBI-unfortunately, she did not get his name or license plate number.
You decide what you want to do-drink Coca Cola products (and other drinks that they bottle) or not.
Or stock pile Coca Cola-
I just felt like passing this information on-you never know.