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Virus Hoaxes
Below is a list of virus hoaxes. If you received one of these messages, please send it to
hoaxkill@hoaxkill.com to warn all the people who have received the message before you.
Currently active hoaxes
- Blue Mountain cards
- This hoax was first reported on Feb 25, 1999. It claims that Blue Mountain greeting cards contained a virus. It's not
true and not possible.
- It Takes Guts to Say 'Jesus'
- Another variation on the 'email virus' theme. It's still not possible.
- Returned or Unable to Deliver:
- Clever warning claiming that all messages with the title "Returned" or "Unable to Deliver" contain a virus.
These messages are of course the result of a failed attempt to send an e-mail message and cause no harm to your system.
- PENPAL GREETINGS:
- A message warning you not to open a message with the subject "Penpal Greetings".
- Join the crew:
- A short, standard hoax email virus warning about messages with the subject "Join The Crew".
- Win a holiday:
- If you receive a message called "Win a Holiday", open it! Who knows, you might win. It certainly won't harm you.
- BUDDYLIST.ZIP
- A message warning you not to download a file named BUDDYLIST.ZIP because it would contain a virus.
Rare hoaxes
- Irina:
- Another false warning for an email virus. Note the reputable (non-existent) source.
- AOL4FREE:
- An email virus warning. Although reading a message can't cause any harm, there have
been reports of an AOL4FREE.COM attachment which is dangerous when executed.
- A.I.D.S. Hoax.
- Although real AIDS viruses do exist, the virus this message warns about certainly does not. Like many other hoaxes, the message warns about a virus with the magical ability to infect your computer
simply by reading an email message.
- Deeyenda:
- Another email virus warning claiming to be sent by the FCC. Besides the impossibility of getting a virus by reading a message, the FCC
never sends virus warnings.
- Londhouse (AltaVista) virus
- A hoax telling you that your computer will be infected with a virus if you use the Alta Vista search engine.
- MMF Virus
- Lance Clarke started this hoax in an attempt to rid the world of Make Money Fast schemes. It claims that all messages with the title MAKE MONEY FAST contain a virus.
- MP3 Media Player (Bloat) Virus
- This hoax warns about a virus which infects MP3 media files.
- Good Times:
- A hoax dating back to 1994 claiming that a message called "Good Times" will cause a virus when opened.
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