Good Morning! > On 10 Nov 97, BRADLEY-ROOTS-L@rootsweb.com wrote >with subject Warning!! If you receive the following message, please have a good laugh! It's one of those urban legends that goes around the world at regular intervals. VIRUS HOAXES The following text has been extracted from http://ciac.llnl.gov/ciac/CIACHoaxes.html How to Identify a Hoax There are several methods to identify virus hoaxes, but first consider what makes a successful hoax on the Internet. There are two known factors that make a successful virus hoax, they are: (1) technical sounding language, and (2) credibility by association. If the warning uses the proper technical jargon, most individuals, including technologically savy individuals, tend to believe the warning is real. When we say credibility by association we are referring to whom sent the warning. If the janitor at a large technological organization sends a warning to someone outside of that organization, people on the outside tend to believe the warning because the company should know about those things. Individuals should also be especially alert if the warning urges you to pass it on to your friends. This should raise a red flag that the warning may be a hoax. Another flag to watch for is when the warning indicates that it is a Federal Communication Commission (FCC) warning. According to the FCC, they have not and never will disseminate warnings on viruses. It is not part of their job. CHAIN LETTERS For information on Internet Chain Letters, check the New CIAC web page located at http://ciac.llnl.gov/ciac/CIACChainLetters.html The above information was extracted from http://ciac.llnl.gov/ciac/CIACHoaxes.html Before you send out a virus warning, get this latest bulletin from CIAC which addresses many hoaxes and erroneous warnings. The file may be obtained direct from the WWW or by sending an e-mail message as follows: TO: agora@dna.affrc.go.jp BODY: send http://ciac.llnl.gov/ciac/CIACHoaxes.html END OF EXTRACT] Have a good day - and don't worry about the CREW / GOOD TIMES / AONLINE / and similar messages! Vic Chegutu Zimbabwe > WARNING!!! If you receive an e-mail titled "JOIN THE CREW" do not > open it! It will erase EVERYTHING on your hard drive! Send > this letter out to as many people you can...this is a new virus > and not many people know about it! This message was received > this morning from IBM, and the Army National Guard, please > share it with anyone that might access the Internet. ----------------------------------------------- from: Vic & Pat Brocklehurst, Chegutu, Zimbabwe Thought for the day: Education is a priority over any sport because without a mind one cannot contribute to society -- Tiger Woods (ed. IDS).