Are people giving away key rings with tracking devices?

Nope -- it's a hoax!

HOUSTON – There's an email going around, supposedly from the Harris County Precinct 5 Constable's Office, that people are hanging out in parking lots and giving away key rings with tracking devices in them.

The email states that a "syndicate of criminals (are) presenting themselves as sales promoters" and the "key holders are very beautiful and hard to resist."

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According to the email, the "key ring has a tracking device chip which allows the criminals to track and follow you."

Harris County Precinct 5 Constable's Office officials said it's just another version of a hoax email.

According to snopes.com, the hoax has been going on since 2008. Snopes' website states that it began when there was a distribution of flashing key rings at a South Africa gas station. Those key rings did not contain tracking devices and were simply a promotional item for Caltex, a gasoline retailer that is part of Chevron.