Internet Hoaxes

[UZI Suicide 0]

Earlier tonight I stumbled upon a website listing Internet hoaxes and it reminded me of one from years back that wasn't listed. Now it's eating away at me and I NEED to find out what this was called.

 

Basically, a website was set up where this guy was talking about how he found some object in the forest behind his house, I don't remember what the object was, but I want to say it was some shiny crystal substance. The next day, some men in black suits came looking for him asking about it.

 

As time went on he noticed he was being spied on and one day a black van pulls up and a bunch of guys try to raid his house and he is able to escape, so basically the rest of the updates to his website are supposedly of him on the run. Updating from various internet cafes, etc. He doesn't know who is chasing him, what he found, or why they want it. Eventually he finds out what it is, what the secret behind it is and what these people were trying to cover up and set a date to reveal it all, which was March 6 of whatever year it was.

 

I remember this being really big at the time, especially at the GameFAQ's forums which I frequented all the time in my younger days. When the day finally came, it was revealed as a viral marketing scheme used to promote a new book that was coming out. I don't remember what the book was about or what relation it had to the story and honestly, I'm probably butchering the crap out of the story. I know a few details are off, but hopefully someone remembers the general premise.

 

It took place a few years ago, I want to say around 2000-2002 (I think 2000, because I remember people trying to tie in Y2K stuff to it).

 

I'd really love to read it again if anyone has a link to it archived somewhere. Also, what are some of your favorite Internet hoaxes?

 

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

John Titor, a time traveler who said he was from 2036

[Your Paragon of Virtue 0]

What website was this, with all the hoaxes on it?

[Youth N Asia 0]

Earlier tonight I stumbled upon a website listing Internet hoaxes and it reminded me of one from years back that wasn't listed. Now it's eating away at me and I NEED to find out what this was called.

 

Basically, a website was set up where this guy was talking about how he found some object in the forest behind his house, I don't remember what the object was, but I want to say it was some shiny crystal substance. The next day, some men in black suits came looking for him asking about it.

 

As time went on he noticed he was being spied on and one day a black van pulls up and a bunch of guys try to raid his house and he is able to escape, so basically the rest of the updates to his website are supposedly of him on the run. Updating from various internet cafes, etc. He doesn't know who is chasing him, what he found, or why they want it. Eventually he finds out what it is, what the secret behind it is and what these people were trying to cover up and set a date to reveal it all, which was March 6 of whatever year it was.

 

I remember this being really big at the time, especially at the GameFAQ's forums which I frequented all the time in my younger days. When the day finally came, it was revealed as a viral marketing scheme used to promote a new book that was coming out. I don't remember what the book was about or what relation it had to the story and honestly, I'm probably butchering the crap out of the story. I know a few details are off, but hopefully someone remembers the general premise.

 

It took place a few years ago, I want to say around 2000-2002 (I think 2000, because I remember people trying to tie in Y2K stuff to it).

 

I'd really love to read it again if anyone has a link to it archived somewhere. Also, what are some of your favorite Internet hoaxes?

 

 

 

http://www.wakemanpublishing.com/8march2003/originalpage.htm

 

 

Here ya go. March 8, 2003

 

don't care to re-read it, but I don't remember there being a payoff at the end

[UZI Suicide 0]

What website was this, with all the hoaxes on it?

 

http://hoaxbusters.ciac.org/

 

And thank you, Youth N Asia.