Hoax Email, What Should We Do?
by Mike Gerzema

Everyday I seem to get one bogus Email message or another. I'm sure you get them as well. You know the type... "New, Extra Dangerous Virus!", "They're Going to Start Taxing Our Email!", "I Got Screwed by Mrs. Fields!", "Earn Money for Each Email You Send!", etc. They are passed along by well-meaning friends or associates, usually Internet neophytes. Distributing these messages simply clogs up the Internet with more useless email (Like it needs any help!).

In this time of information overload and light-speed communications, it is important that we remain skeptical of all communications. We must be ever vigilant that we verify the source of information and its voracity. It is too easy for false (and sometimes dangerous) information to spread. It's also important that we pass on this skepticism to our colleagues and friends. They must realize that not every email they get is telling the truth.

I advise going to the F-Secure (formerly Data Fellows) or McAfee sites for more hoax information. Also, there's a great article about hoaxes, "It's Just a Hoax! (Five ways to separate legitimate email warnings from hoaxes)", by Richard Sherman on the TechTV web site. Check out the article or you can get it via email by sending a blank message to hoaxes@MrModem.net.

I agree with Richard's assertion that we don't just stop passing along these messages. It's important to reply back to the people that send them and anyone else they were sent to (You usually know who they are because this type of user usually doesn't blind-copy these messages). Everyone needs to know not to spread these messages.

Here's an example of what I send back to errant virus warnings:

"Subject: Hoax The attached is a bogus message. There is no message like the one mentioned and no virus. This type of message is simply distributed to clog up the internet with useless email (like it needs any help). Be skeptical of any message you receive. Believe it or not, not every email that you get is telling the truth. Be especially skeptical of email that tell you to pass it on to everyone you know or to everyone in your address book. I advise going to the F-Secure (formerly Data Fellows - http://www.f-secure.com/virus-info/hoax) or McAfee (http://vil.mcafee.com/hoax.asp?) web sites for more information on hoaxes. Verify any email you get before passing them on. There are a lot of hoaxes out there, virus and otherwise. For example there are many bogus email about products (like the Mrs. Fields/Neiman-Marcus chocolate chip cookie recipe fable) or about the new tax/fee on email/internet access or maybe just another chain letter (Bad Luck/Pyramid Schemes/Trips/etc.). For more information on these kinds of messages (or just for fun) check out the hoax sites above or the Urban Legends web site at http://www.urbanlegends.com. There's some great stuff there. There's a great article about hoaxes, "It's Just a Hoax! (Five ways to separate legitimate email warnings from hoaxes)", by Richard Sherman on the TechTV web site. Check out the article at http://www.techtv.com/print/story/0,23102,3322451,00.html, or you can get it via email by sending a blank message to hoaxes@MrModem.net. Please don't think I am minimizing viruses. These programs can be very dangerous and are, at the very least, annoying. It is essential to be aware of them, I just don't want them minimized by bogus warnings. I'm also tired of getting the same phoney warnings over and over. Some of these have been going around for years. All this useless traffic just makes the Internet slower for all of us. Now about viruses, the real ones. The best way to avoid them is not to open email attachments! Never open any attachment without scanning it for viruses first, regardless of who they are from. Many viruses send themselves to your entire email list and list you as the sender. Even files you are expecting from someone you know can be infected without their knowledge. This includes documents and spreadsheets. The next best way to avoid viruses is to have an anti-virus program loaded on your PC and KEEP IT UPDATED. Currently, that means downloading updates at least once a week. Corporations are updating their anti-virus programs several times a day. Some very good sites for virus information are:      Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT - http://www.cert.org)      System Administration, Networking, and Security (SANS) Institute (http://www.sans.org)      ZDNet (http://www.zdnet.com)      McAfee (http://www.mcafee.com/anti-virus)      Symantec (Norton - http://www.symantec.com/avcenter)      F-Secure (http://www.f-secure.com/virus-info) Most of these sites will send you automatic email notifications of new viruses or other threats. FYI, here's what ?????? has to say about this hoax . (****add source and link here****) If you're wondering how you got this message, you were a recipient listed in the message I got. If you want to pass on a message to everyone in your address book, this may it. Maybe we can make everyone aware of these messages and we'll be able to unclog the Net and make it a better place for all of us. Thanks! (****your name and title here****) ----- Original Message ----- From: Sent: To: Subject: (****add original message here****)"

I've had great success by sending out these types of messages. In fact, with this kind of feedback, my users are largely policing themselves. The last person that sent along a bogus virus warning to everyone in the company met with several rebukes from their peers. It's great!

Good luck and happy hoax hunting!