| ABOUT HOAXES | LINKS to check on Virus information (before you spread the gossip and/or a false report) |
| 1. Big companies don't do business via chain letters. Bill Gates is not giving you $1000, and Disney is not giving you a free vacation. There is no baby food company issuing class action checks. Procter and Gamble is not part of a satanic cult or scheme, and its logo is not satanic. MTV will not give you backstage passes if you forward something to the most people. You can relax; there is no need to pass it on "just in case it's true". Furthermore, just because someone said in a message, four generations back, that "we checked it out and it's legit", does not actually make it true. | This page is compiled from information submitted, solicited or not,
from SAIBMUG members, past and present.
Please note:
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| 2. There is no kidney theft ring in New Orleans. No one is waking up in a bathtub full of ice, even if a friend of a friend swears it happened to their cousin. And I quote: "The National Kidney Foundation has repeatedly issued requests for actual victims of organ thieves to come forward and tell their stories. None have." That's "none" as in "zero". Not even your friend's cousin. | One great place to check on virus information is:
http://www.mcafee.com Others include: http://www.norton.com http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/hoax.html http://www.datafellows.com/ http://www.kumite.com/myths/home.htm http://www.sassman.net/virus |
| 3. Neiman Marcus doesn't really sell a $200 cookie recipe. And even if they do, we all have it. And even if you don't, you can get a copy at: http://www.bl.net/forwards/cookie.html Then, if you make the recipe, decide the cookies are that awesome, feel free to pass the recipe on. |
And here is a special one: http://www.hoaxkill.com/ |
| 4. If the latest NASA rocket disaster(s) DID contain plutonium that went to particulate over the eastern seaboard, do you REALLY think this information would reach the public via an AOL chain letter? | SHIELDS UP is self explanatory. Take a look!
http://grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2=nus3ddh5 |
| 5. There is no "Good Times" virus. In
fact, you should never, ever, ever forward any email containing any virus
warning unless you first confirm that an actual site of an actual company
that actually deals with viruses. Try:
http://www.norton.com
And even then, don't forward it. We don't care. And you cannot get a virus from a flashing IM or email, you have to download....ya know, like, a FILE! (Webmaster note: Recently (12-99) NEW VIRUS information has been released that validates the fact you CAN receive a virus just from reading an Email. Therefore, we suggest that you install anti virus software immediately. And/or do not read mail from people you don't know, it's probably spam anyway. Although we know of no "personal" cases of such a virus, better safe than sorry is my motto) |
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| 6. There is no gang initiation plot to murder any motorist who flashes headlights at another car driving at night without lights. | |
| 7. If you're using Outlook, IE, or Netscape to
write email, turn off the "HTML encoding. Those of us on Unix shells
can't read it, and don't care enough to save the attachment and then view
it with a web browser, since you're probably forwarding us a copy of the
Neiman Marcus Cookie Recipe
anyway. |
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| 8. If you still absolutely MUST forward that 10th-generation message from a friend, at least have the decency to trim the eight miles of headers showing everyone else who's received it over the last 6 months. It sure wouldn't hurt to get rid of all the ">" that begin each line either. Besides, if it has gone around that many times we've probably already seen it. | |
| 9. Craig Shergold (or Sherwood, or Sherman, etc.) in England is not dying of cancer or anything else at this time and would like everyone to stop sending him their business cards. He apparently is no longer a "little boy" either. | |
| 10. The "Make a Wish" foundation is a real organization doing fine work, but they have had to establish a special toll free hot line in response to the large number of Internet hoaxes using their good name and reputation. It is distracting them from the important work they do. | |
| 11. If you are one of those insufferable idiots who forwards anything that "promises" something bad will happen if you "don't," then something bad will happen to you if I ever meet you in a dark alley. | |
| 12. Women really are suffering in Afghanistan, and PBS and NEA funding are still vulnerable to attack (although not at the present time) but forwarding an e-mail won't help either cause in the least. If you want to help, contact your local legislative representative, or get in touch with Amnesty International or the Red Cross. As a general rule, e-mail "signatures" are easily faked and mean nothing to anyone with any power to do anything about whatever the competition is complaining about. (PS: There is no bill pending before Congress that will allow long distance companies to charge you for using the Internet.) | |
| Bottom Line... composing e-mail or posting something on the Net is as easy as writing on the walls of a public rest room. Don't automatically believe it until it's proven false... ASSUME it's false, unless there is proof that it's true. | Many email garbage scrubbers automatically trash any email containing
third hand (or more) passed on messages identified by > > > ... beginning
any line..
So "forward" you messages NON QUOTED. (This is a preference you can set in your software) |
| http://www.europe.datafellows.com/virus-info/
F-Secure Hoax Warnings Pages NAME: Lump Of Coal hoax The below message is a hoax: "Warning on December 25, 1999 you may receive an email called, Lump of Coal do not open it, it contains a deadly virus, it will erase your windows along with many other program files. Pass this on as soon as you can to get the WORD out!!! This is not a hoax....this was reported on the CBS morning news August 20,1999." If you receive this message please don't spread it any further. |
As we know, all real viruses are identified at various virus alert
web sites. The warning messages, such as the one you sent me, are
themselves viruses, although somewhat benign ones. Before posting
a "warning message virus" you should check to see if the warning is only
a hoax, and if it is (and almost always it is) then instead reply to the
sender with a message that their advice is a hoax. Maybe we can eliminate
some of the trash on the net, although it is impossible to eliminate it
all.
Television first changed news into entertainment, now TV news has been changed into fiction. |