[John.]

Originally posted by Sticks
Not so much a hoax as people getting the wrong end of the stick or some one possibly having a laugh which has got out of hand

See also here where there are other links about this non-story.

it stems from 2003 when mars was actually rather large!

the email just comes round every year again... and more that likely will do until 2287 or something like that when mars is really really close!