I've seen a lot of e-mail hoaxes being forwarded to my e-mail or Friendster inboxes or to various bulletin boards that I visit.
This time, I received one from one of my Yahoo! Groups pals. So I decided to write this stuff. I know there are a lot more sites out there that offer the same service of Internet hoax slaying [one of which is Hoax-Slayer] -- actually the info I'll post here will be from those sources -- I'm doing this for everyone who's following me on my blog (dreams are free).
Although this is the first entry I've made of this sort (but I'm planning to make this into a "series"), I dubbed this as "Here We Go Again" because, as mentioned, I've received countless e-mails from well-meaning family and friends who thought that the e-mail warnings and offers were true. No harm in that, really. At least I know what hoaxes are circulating at the moment and how people respond to them.
So, here we go. Again. But, for the first time.
Olympic Torch Invitation Virus Hoax
[Do not click on the above links! Or all your hard drive partitions will be wiped out!]
[Here's an excerpt from Hoax-Slayer]
[Read at your own risk!]
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Olympic Torch Invitation Virus HoaxSummary:
Message claims that an email with an attached file called "Invitation" contains a virus that will open an Olympic Torch that destroys the computer's hard drive (Full commentary below.)Status:
False
Update:
A new version of the hoax email falsely claims that the information in the message has been verified by Hoax-Slayer.com and Snopes.com (details below).
Update:
February 2008 - Yet another version claims that an email with an attachment entitled "POSTCARD" will destroy the hard drive of the infected computer. (Read an article about the Postcard Image Virus Hoax)Example:(Submitted, February 2006)WARNING
You should be alert during the next days: Do not open any message with an attached filed called "Invitation" regardless of who sent it. It is a virus that opens an Olympic Torch which "burns" the whole hard disc C of your computer. This virus will be received from someone who has your e-mail address in his/her contact list, that is why you should send this e-mail to all your contacts. It is better to receive this message 25 times than to receive the virus and open it.
If you receive a mail called "invitation", though sent by a friend, do not open it and shut down your computer immediately.
This is the worst virus announced by CNN, it has been classified by Microsoft as the most destructive virus ever. This virus was discovered by McAfee yesterday, and there is no repair yet for this kind of virus. This virus simply destroys the Zero Sector of the Hard Disc, where the vital information is kept. SEND THIS E-MAIL TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW, COPY THIS E-MAIL AND SEND IT TO YOUR FRIENDS AND REMEMBER: IF YOU SEND IT TO THEM, YOU WILL BENEFIT ALL OF US
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- - - There are lots more on the Hoax-Slayer site - - -
Here's the result of my Google search of the words "virus" and "invitation"
[Take note: I haven't even included the word "hoax" there]
If the links don't work try this one:
[Please disable your anti-virus software before visiting the links above]
[If you paid serious attention to the bold words in red in between the square brackets, like this one, it's likely that you may have already been a victim. Of a hoax!]
Gullibility is a choice. Mostly just out of laziness.
'till next time!
Here I go.
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