SR News: Win a Holiday Virus Hoax Warning


The "Win a Holiday" Hoax!

There is very little that is original in this hoax. The originator seems  to
have copied the old combined PenPal and "Unable to deliver mail"  hoax.  and
just modified some basic text.

The hoax begins:

      VIRUS  WARNING !!!!!!
      If you receive an email titled "WIN A HOLIDAY" DO NOT open it.

Typical signs of a hoax here:

     All capital letters with many exclamation points in the title. This  is
     typical of most of the hoaxes (and many scams!) that we see. A  warning
     to avoid email with a particular title. Almost all of the virus  hoaxes
     contain this type of directive.

The hoax continues:

        It will erase everything on your hard drive. Forward this
        letter out to as many people as you can.

and above we see the other classic hoax indication (to forward the  hoax  to
as many people as you can.

The hoax now continues:

        This is a new, very malicious virus and not many people  know  about
        it. This information was announced yesterday morning from Microsoft;


A "new" virus would be no big deal. We see over 250 new viruses each  month.
MicroSoft is not in the business of announcing viruses.

And the hoax goes on with the same statements we see in almost every hoax:


        please share it with everyone that might access the
        internet.  Once again, pass this along to EVERYONE in our
        address book so that this may be stopped. Also, do not
        open or even look at any mail that says "RETURNED OR
        UNABLE TO DELIVER"


The "RETURNED OR UNABLE TO DELIVER" is copied from other hoaxes that we have
covered here and it is intended to make people  think  they  have  seen  the
supposed virus message because almost everyone that sends  much  email  will
occasionally get a "RETURNED OR UNABLE TO DELIVER" when there is  a  problem
delivering a message. (This should be no cause for alarm!)


        This virus will attach itself to your
        computer components and render them useless. Immediately
        delete any mail items that say this. AOL has said that
        this is a very dangerous virus and that there is NO remedy
        this to all your online friends ASAP.

Ahhh, another appeal to authority (AOL) and, of course, unverifiable. And we
are expected to believe that AOL is an authority on viruses?! And we see yet
another exhortation to send this hoax to all our friends.

This hoax has since inspired another hoax, the The Free Vacation Hoax.

Write to Stiller Research: support@stiller.com

(This hoax warning was posted here originally January of  1998  and  updated
April 2, 1998)

                                     Copyright c 1998 Stiller Research.
                                    Document Last Modified April 2, 1998.

[=- 㡫  ୠ ᪨ 蠫 //  #2 //  1998  -=]
                                                                                                                                                                                                     
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