On Thu, 1 Mar 2001, Steve Stewart wrote:
> Nope, it's a hoax. I advise that you bookmark one or more of the following
> sources and ALWAYS check them before you forward messages like this.
Can't you tell by the writing style?
> Subject: Fw: A new virus to watch for
> Date sent: Thu, 22 Feb 2001 11:39:49 +0100
A credible virus warning wouldn't have these question marks.
> > > A new virus has just been discovered that has been classified by
> > > Microsoft (http://www.microsoft.com/) and by McAfee
> > > (http://www.mcafee.com/)
> > > as
> > > the most destructive ever!
Hyperbolic claims, excess exclamation points, and useless URLs are
clues that this is BS.
> > > Please pass on this mail to all your friends.
> > > Forward this to everyone in your address book. I would rather
> > > receive this 25 times than not at all.
This doesn't sound suspicious to you? It's exactly the kind of
verbiage found in spam and chain letters. Would a person who cared
about your or the net's welfare talk like this?
> > > SEND THIS TO EVERYONE ON YOUR CONTACT LIST!!
No credible or well-intentioned person uses all caps writing. Ever.
The same for multiple exclamation points. If nothing earlier tipped
you off, this is the unmistakable signature of a malicious hoax.
Even the double space after YOUR is suspicious: sane people fix these
errors. This letter contains many extra double-spaces. A sincere
person who was writing an earth-shakingly important message would fix
these errors. Wouldn't you?
Honestly, how can you be taken in by this crud? When you're reading a
magazine, can't you tell the ads from the articles?
-Sheba
Bathsheba Grossman (831) 429-8224
Microsculpture microsculpture.com
Creative prototyping www.protoshape.com
For more information about the rp-ml, see http://ltk.hut.fi/rp-ml/
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