e mail virus - seriously

Subject: RE: e mail virus - seriously
From:
Date: 05 Feb 98 - 09:59 PM

And, BTW, you should always have an updated anti-virus running in the background. I have only once encountered a virus on an internet download, a Word Macro virus in an attachment which NAV caught and killed, but twice I have seen hard disks infected by viruses brought into the house from school. High school in one case, and a university in another.

Subject: RE: e mail virus - seriously
From:
Date: 05 Feb 98 - 09:57 PM

Nigerian scam. Listen carefully, I know of a man who lost 40 grand US to this scam, and yes, he told me personally:

1. You get a letter by fax from someone in Nigeria stating, basically, that they have ripped off their government for many millions. Money stolen from government schemes, usually. 2. You are offered a percentage, 10% usually, if you will help them get the money out of Nigeria though the use of your bank account. 3. Here the scam varies. One variation simply asks you to send money as a kind of processing fee for bribes. You pay, and good-bye money. 40 grand US in this case. 4. Another variation asks you to provide letterhead, signitures and your bank account number in order to provide credibility or to use to funnel funds, or whatever. Good bye everything in that account. 5. Other variations have you go to Nigeria. You are held at gunpoint until you ransome yourself.

I have personally received about three of these letters or faxes. The Mounties have been in the papers about it. What I can't understand is how anyone can fall for so transparent and obvious a scam -- "I have just cheated my government and now I want you to trust me." Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered, I'm afraid.

Subject: RE: e mail virus - seriously
From: Jerry Friedman
Date: 05 Feb 98 - 06:03 PM

Actually, the only kind of virus that can spread through e-mail is a chain letter, which reproduces on computers all over the place. The kind that this thread is about is the most ironic. At least it doesn't wipe out your files.

Subject: RE: e mail virus - seriously
From: Elektra
Date: 05 Feb 98 - 04:47 PM

Well, if you like, you may consult the virus experts at McAfee,here: http://www.mcafee.com/support/hoax.asp Or Symantec: http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/hoax.html

You can also check ou the Computer Virus Home Page here: http://www.kumite.com/myths/home.htm

Due to the very nature of email, a computer cannot contract a virus simply by opening email.

***HOWEVER***

An email _attachment_ is something altogether different. Any one who is foolish enough to open an email attachment without knowing *exactly* what it is and who sent it, should have the keyboard ripped out of their hands post-haste, and be repeatedly smacked upside the head with it. ("It", being the keyboard -- though I suppose a post -- in haste -- would do as well.

Read the FAQ's and arm yourselves with the truth!! :^)

Subject: RE: e mail virus - seriously
From: lesblank
Date: 05 Feb 98 - 03:54 PM

I received the same message(forwarded) last Friday, 1/30, from my financial advisor/broker. He suggested I forward it to any and all of my address book entries. Even if it is a hoax (and I hope it is), how can one be sure. As one who has had his entire system blown away by something I picked up from a "friend" on a floppy (my virus detection SW apparently didn't work), I will continue to respond to warnings such as these except when the sender is obviously not credible. Tim, how do you know with such certainty that it isn't real ?

Subject: RE: e mail virus - seriously
From: Alice
Date: 05 Feb 98 - 11:25 AM

BTW, there is an "online incident report form" at the www.fraud.com site on which you can report any email scams that you have received.

Subject: RE: e mail virus - seriously
From: Alice
Date: 05 Feb 98 - 11:17 AM

For good info on this subject, go to www.fraud.com
which is the National Fraud Information Center. Their homepage is a focus on internet and telemarketing fraud, but have alot of good info on fraud in general. Alice in MT

Subject: RE: e mail virus - seriously
From: Joe Offer
Date: 05 Feb 98 - 12:19 AM

What Nigerian scam, Tim? Sounds like it might be a good story. Do tell.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: e mail virus - seriously
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 05 Feb 98 - 12:12 AM

Viruses CANNOT be spread by reading E-mail. They CAN be spread through attachments (which contain non-ASCII characters); it's good etiquette to avoid using attachments unless they're necessary.

Subject: RE: e mail virus - seriously
From:
Date: 05 Feb 98 - 12:12 AM

It is a hoax. I am not posting from my own computer or I'd give you a URL to read about it. This virus joins several other on the Virus Urban Myth list. If it is important e-mail me privately and I'll send you the URL of a good virus FAQ URL.

Now, for those of you living in the US, the Nigerian scam is very, very real. We in Canada are mostly immune to it now, but in my profession I run across Americans who fall for it. If you aren't greedy, you won't, but it isn't as well known in the US as it is here where the Mounties have been in the media warning about it, as it if it wasn't as transparent enough a scam to begin with.

Subject: e mail virus - seriously
From: RonU
Date: 04 Feb 98 - 11:58 PM

Minutes ago I received an email from a serious, trustworth source telling me that IBM advised people not to open mail that says "JOIN THE CREW" - that it would erase everything on your hard drive. Also, I was told to delete this immediately and also any email message intitled "RETURNED OR UNABLE TO DELIVER".

Has anyone else heard this ? If true, it could be catastrophic. If untrue, then I have been duped into spreading an unfounded rumor or "Urban Myth". Imagine what it could do to stored Database.