We're aware that not all e-mail is safe or welcome. But folk are still getting caught out by hoaxes. In fact, another eBayer has just published an e-mail hoax as a Guide, and that's what prompted me to write this!
Hoaxes can range from the sinister to the simple timewaster.
The 419 hoax or 'Nigerian Letter' is very well-known by now, but despite this it is still highly prevalent on the Internet. Many people have lost large sums on money to this scam.
The second most common Internet hoax tells users of an e-mail virus JDBGMGR.EXE, and advises them to destroy the file. In fact, this file is an integral part of Microsoft Windows! The purpose of this hoax is to waste time and cause inconvenience.
When it comes down to it, many so-called 'Virus Warnings' are bogus. People are deceived into passing them on because the information appears to be helpful.
The hoax that has been published as an eBay Guide concerns Mastercard Telephone Fraud. Originally sent by e-mail, the hoax warns the public of a method used by malicious individuals to gain credit card details over the telephone, in particular the three-digit code on the back.
This hoax is particularly convincing, because it is plausible, and also contains sound advice about not giving out credit card details over the phone to unsolicited callers. However, it's an urban legend: the actual events in the message are unlikely to have happened, especially as there are multiple, slightly different versions of the e-mail circulating the Net. It also misrepresents the frequency of this kind of telephone fraud, saying that it's a new kind of fraud that 'Police are getting several reports of daily', which is alarmist and untrue. This hoax has been doing the rounds for several years.
The hoax gets your attention by pretending to be helpful, when its only purpose is to waste your time by getting you to forward the message to as many people as possible.
Indeed,you should always be wary of e-mails that urge you to pass them on to all and sundry. Legitimate warnings of fraud andvirusesare not sent out in this way.
My advice is DO NOT pass this message on to your friends in any shape or form.
Instead take a few moments to educate yourself about hoaxes.
Trend Micro has a very good summary of the latest and most common hoaxes on its Website. Unfortunately I am not allowed to place off-eBay links, so you will have to look it up in Google. (You can read about the Mastercard Telephone Fraud Hoax on there too.)
Another useful place to check out potential hoaxes about virus warnings is on Symantec's Website.
DO NOT pass on any warning e-mails unless you have first checked their authenticity.
If you do pass them on in error, the very least you will be guilty of is spamming your friends. At worst, you could be passing on harmful information.
Be safe!
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