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Fake Virus Hoaxes |
Some of the most common types of email hoaxes are emails warning the reader of an impending virus that’s spreading across cyberspace. Generally (by generally we mean 99 percent of the time) these emails are complete hoaxes warning of viruses that simply do not exist. The hoaxes often claim the ‘virus’ will damage the users computer even by just reading the email. They are often written in a pseudo-technical language to impress the reader and gain credibility, though to any computer expert it is clear the claims are often impossible. There isn’t really a way of causing any detrimental effect to a computer by just opening an email (this does NOT apply to email attachments which can often be harmful) If you receive a virus warning, whether or not it contains an attachment, the best course of action would be to just delete it, or seek help from an expert. This type of email hoax is so popular that many Internet Security companies claim they receive more calls and emails from customers concerning fake viruses rather than genuine ones! The easiest way to spot a virus hoax is that it will frequently be written in plain text, sometimes with bad grammar, and will urge you to send it on to your contact list. Also many try to gain credibility by saying phrases such as “CNN announced…” “AOL/Microsoft/IBM report….” Which again is simply untrue. If your in doubt, visit the website of a popular antivirus software vendor. If they back up the claims of the email it may be worth it to send it on, but in the vast majority of cases, the antivirus company will never have heard of the virus. We have an extensive list of the most popular fake virus hoaxes in our database. |
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