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What to do about a message received from a friend, like this...
| Message I have received from a
friend :- EMERGENCY!!! If pavlo_88@hotmail.com adds you to your MSN Contacts, DO NOT (I repeat: DO NOT) add it because it's a virus that takes all ur computer details. PLEASE tell everybody on your contacts because if somebody on your list accepts it then you get the virus too!(copy and paste this into a new message because some people do not read forwards!) Don't just forward it |
Yes, it's probably been sent to you by someone who is your friend, and they have sent it in good faith believing it to be true. But that doesn't mean it is true. It just means your well-meaning friend has been fooled by the HOAX!
You probably had no intention of adding pavlo_88 at hotmail to your MSN contacts, assuming you had a set of MSN contacts. But you might feel tempted to forward the message on so as to warn other people about the dreaded virus.
Well don't! It's not a virus, at least not a computer virus, but a hoax. If you're worried about viruses, have a look at the antivirus software and the ways of avoiding a virus mentioned here. But don't worry about the message from a friend warning you about an "emergency" regarding Pavlo88 and MSN Contacts.
How this works is simple: Some people are fooled by the message; it's an easy mistake to make. Then they forward the message to their friends. Most of their friends aren't caught out by it, but a few will fall for it and forward the message. It's an implicit chain letter! Chain letters and other hoaxes which persist by getting the recipient to "forward this message to everyone in your address book" etc, are psychological viruses in one way of thinking about it.
So, to sum it up: Don't add pavlo_88@hotmail.com to your MSN Contacts, and Don't forward the message on!
In the general case, where you receive a message which is questionable, do a few Google* searches and check to see if anyone has been so kind as to put a page up like this. (*other search engines are available). As it says at the page of antivirus measures: Be aware that there are such things as the "sulfnbk virus" which is NOT a computer virus but is a hoax which spreads like a virus because of people being urged to forward the virus warning message. (The warning about "jdbgmgr.exe" is a similar hoax). Any message with "tell everyone in your address book" should be considered carefully. see chain letters
The good news is that if you've found Zyra's website. Now that you've found it, you can bookmark it for future reference as there are a great many helpful pages like this! See full alphabetical list
Ooh look, here's another similar daft message:
| Subject: Beware of MSN Contact Hi I have just had this email from a friend of mine and thought I would share it with everyone as a warning:- If a chap called bum_tnoo7@hotmail.com adds u don't accept it because its a hacker!! Tell everyone on your list because if somebody on your list adds them u get them on your list he'll figure out Your ID computer address, so copy and paste this message to everyone even if u don't care for them. Do this quickly because if he hacks their email he hacks your your email info! Cheers |
I have news for you. Hacking doesn't work like that. Besides, if your computer is so full of holes that a rat can get in, it might be a good idea to bung up the holes. See antivirus software and anti-spyware. Also, see how to avoid getting a virus. To see some more realistic hacking attempts, see those joke messages pretending to be from your bank
The message is a Chain Letter. Don't forward it.
If you see a similar message coming in, do a world search for the email address involved.