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PR firm warns against cruel hoax chain letter
Leeds-based NetworxPR is warning Yorkshire businesses not to be taken in by a cruel hoax letter pretending to be from John Craig, a seven year old boy suffering from cancer. Victims of the hoax usually receive a letter from a friend asking them to send a compliment slip to John Craig so that he can achieve his ambition to enter the Guinness Book of Records for receiving the most compliment slips sent to him.
Stuart Bruce, the managing director of NetworxPR used to provide public relations advice to Royal Mail in the late 90s and says at that time John Craig used to receive approximately 3,500 letters a week from people who had been duped.
The hoax originated in the late 1989 when Craig Shergold was diagnosed with cancer and the UK media and the American Make-a-Wish charity publicised his desire to be in the Guinness Book of Records. Craig received successfully received treatment for his cancer and made a full recovery, as well as appearing the Guinness Book of Records.
However, the cards and compliment slips keep coming. There are now several variations on his name including Sherwood, Sherfold and Sheford, as well as John Craig. The address for John Craig in Carshalton, Surry is the same one as for Craig Shergold.
"People shouldn't be taken in by this cruel hoax which is preying on gullibility of well-meaning people," explained Stuart Bruce, "I would advise anyone who receives this request to simply put it in the bin."
