This information can be freely reproduced in any medium, as long as the information is unmodified.

Thanks to Brian Shea for first bringing this to our attention on 22 August, 1998.

We, and the Internet, are currently under bombardment with this win a free trip to Disney World or $5000 chain letter. Let's put on our thinking caps, folks. If it's too good to be true, it isn't! ;-)

Chain Mail Violates Policy
Chain mail sent via the U.S. Postal Service is illegal. It is highly likely that chain mail sent via the Internet is illegal as well. Sending or fowarding chain e-mail is a violation of the University of Michigan's Policy: The Proper Use of Information Resources, Information Technology, and Networks at the University of Michigan (Standard Practice Guide 601.7) because it interferes with the intended use of the University's information resources. Chain e-mail is also a violation of the MichNet Acceptable Use policy.

Regardless of what network you use, you can safely assume that it has regulations against sending chain messages. Both starting and forwarding chain messages violate these policies. External networks to which U-M has access, such as MichNet, NSFNet, and BITNET, as well as local mail systems here on campus, exist to support research and education. Users who violate the conditions of use of external networks run the risk of having their access to those networks terminated.

You Can Help!
Please help break this chain letter and do NOT forward it to anyone. Instead, you should reply to the sender -- and as far back up the email chain as you have energy -- informing the originators that this is a chain letter, which is most likely illegal and a violation of network policies and conditions of use, and a hoax as well.

We suggest that you provide a pointer to this web page (http://www.umich.edu/~virus-busters/hoaxes/disney.html) or to another reputable site, such as:

• DataFellows
• CIAC Hoaxes
• Urban Legends

A sample of the Disney chain letter follows (a few variations on the wording are circulating):

  Subject: This is NOT a joke!! Read NOW!!

  Disney message & $5,000.00

  If you read below you will see the note from Walt Disney Jr. &
  Management at Disney World. Basically if this messages reaches
  13,000 people, everyone will receive $5,000.00 or a free, all
  expenses paid, trip to Disney World in anytime during the summer
  of 1999.

  See the note below - its worth it!!!! 

  Everyone is to resend to 15 individuals. Please read and forward
  to as many friends as possible...we've checked up on this and
  this is no joke of a chain letter or something if this reaches
  13,000 people...duplicate entries don't count, though...So,
  please help & pass on... thank you, and here you go!!!

  WALT DISNEY JR. GREETING

  Hello Disney fans,

  And thank you for signing up for Bill Gates' Beta Email Tracking
  My name is Walt Disney Jr. Here at Disney we are working with
  Microsoft which has just compiled an e-mail tracing program that
  tracks everyone to whom this message is forwarded to. It does
  this through an unique IP (Internet Protocol) address log book
  database. We are experimenting with this and need your help.
  Forward this to everyone you know and if it reaches 13,000
  people, 1,300 of the people on the list will receive $5,000, and
  the rest will receive a free trip for two to Disney World for one
  week during the summer of 1999 at our expense. Enjoy.
 
  Note: Duplicate entries will not be counted. You will be notified by
  email with further instructions once this email has reached 13,000
  people.

  Your friends,
  Walt Disney Jr., Disney, Bill Gates, & The Microsoft
  Development Team.

PLEASE DO NOT FORWARD THIS CHAIN LETTER TO ANYONE!

Extra Tidbit for Disney Trivia Buffs
Walt had two daughters and no sons. Walt Disney Jr. is fictitious.

visits to this page since 27 August 1998.