From: "Crandall" <jeffden@c2i2.com>
Date: Mon, 1 Dec 1997 02:38:34 +0800
To: "Aunt Donna McLean" <cypherpunks@toad.com>
Subject: Fw: Virus Warning!!  IMPORTANT!!!!
In-Reply-To: <19971130182226.29744.qmail@hotmail.com>
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: Date: Sunday, November 30, 1997 10:22:19
: From: THE.DUKE a.k.a. Perrin
: To: Biscuit; my_bath_tub@innocence.com; parcha@hotmail.com; Jeff Crandall
: (work); deanna@keylink.net; cjensen@smtplink.rockford.edu; yablo@hotmail.com;
: Doug; Here; Denise; flood69@hotmail.com; Goddess; Guipe;
: nailbomb666@hotmail.com; pierre@netins.net; jewlie@nwiowa.com;
: mansonswonka@hotmail.com; jonesy@mindless.com; Luvdust; Me; Wales; Nick;
: Nicole; philip@infospeedway.net; khanshaw@mindspring.com; Ryan; Sara Wilson;
: shandave@hotmail.com; tabnit@hotmail.com; thetigress_@hotmail.com; Tom
: Tindell; Tony Ortega; Yankee1428@aol.com; wrightk@tron.cochise.cc.az.us
: Subject: Virus Warning!!  IMPORTANT!!!!
:
:
:
: --------------------------------------------------------------------
: ****************************************************************
:          WARNING, CAUTION, DANGER, AND BEWARE!
:          Gullibility Virus Spreading over the Internet!
: ****************************************************************
:
:
: WASHINGTON, D.C.--The Institute for the Investigation of Irregular
: Internet Phenomena announced today that many Internet users are
: becoming infected by a new virus that causes them to believe without
: question every groundless story, legend, and dire warning that shows
: up in their inbox or on their browser.  The Gullibility Virus, as it
: is called, apparently makes people believe and forward copies of silly
: hoaxes relating to cookie recipes, email viruses, taxes on modems, and
: get-rich-quick schemes [perhaps conspiracy theories should be included
: here].
:
: "These are not just readers of tabloids or people who buy lottery
: tickets based on fortune cookie numbers," a spokesman said. "Most are
: otherwise normal people, who would laugh at the same stories if told
: to them by a stranger on a street corner."  However, once these same
: people become infected with the Gullibility Virus, they believe
: anything they read on the Internet.
:

: "My immunity to tall tales and bizarre claims is all gone," reported
: one weeping victim.  "I believe every warning message and sick child
: story my friends forward to me, even though most of the messages are
: anonymous."
:
: Another victim, now in remission, added, "When I first heard about
: Good Times, I just accepted it without question.  After all, there
: were dozens of other recipients on the mail header, so I thought the
: virus must be true."  It was a long time, the victim said, before she
: could stand up at a Hoaxees Anonymous meeting and state, "My name is
: Jane, and I've been hoaxed."  Now, however, she is spreading the word.
: "Challenge and check whatever you read,"  she says.
:
: Internet users are urged to examine themselves for symptoms of the
: virus, which include the following:
:
:       * the willingness to believe improbable stories
:          without thinking
:
:       * the urge to forward multiple copies of such
:          stories to others
:
:       * a lack of desire to take three minutes to check
:          to see if a story is true
:
: T. C. is an example of someone recently infected.  He told one
: reporter, "I read on the Net that the major ingredient in almost all
: shampoos makes your hair fall out, so I've stopped using shampoo."
: When told about the Gullibility Virus, T. C. said he would stop
: reading email, so that he would not become infected.
:
: Anyone with symptoms like these is urged to seek help immediately.
: Experts recommend that at the first feelings of gullibility, Internet
: users rush to their favorite search engine and look up the item
: tempting them to thoughtless credence.  Most hoaxes, legends, and tall
: tales have been widely discussed and exposed by the Internet
: community.
:
: Courses in critical thinking are also widely available, and there is
: online help from many sources, including
:
:       * Department of Energy Computer Incident Advisory
:          Capability at
:               <a href=http://ciac.llnl.gov/ciac/CIACHoaxes.html>here</a>
:
:       * Symantec Anti Virus Research Center at
:               <a
: href=http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/index.html>here</a>
:
:       * McAfee Associates Virus Hoax List at
:               <a href=http://www.mcafee.com/support/hoax.html>here</a>
:
:       * Dr. Solomons Hoax Page at
:               <a
: href=http://www.drsolomons.com/vircen/hoax.html>here</a>
:
:       * The Urban Legends Web Site at
:               <a href=http://www.urbanlegends.com>here</a>
:
:       * Urban Legends Reference Pages at
:               <a href=http://www.snopes.com>here</a>
:
:       * Datafellows Hoax Warnings at
:               <a
: href=http://www.Europe.Datafellows.com/news/hoax.htm>here</a>
:
: Those people who are still symptom free can help inoculate themselves
: against the Gullibility Virus by reading some good material on
: evaluating sources, such as
:
:       * Evaluating Internet Research Sources at
:               <a
: href=http://www.sccu.edu/faculty/R_Harris/evalu8it.htm>here</a>
:
:       * Evaluation of Information Sources at
:               <a
: href=http://www.vuw.ac.nz/~agsmith/evaln/evaln.htm>here</a>
:
:       * Bibliography on Evaluating Internet Resources at
:               <a
: href=http://refserver.lib.vt.edu/libinst/critTHINK.HTM>here</a>
:
: Lastly, as a public service, Internet users can help stamp out the
: Gullibility Virus by sending copies of this message to anyone who
: forwards them a hoax.
:
: *******************************************************************
:
: This message is so important, we're sending it anonymously!  Forward
: it to all your friends right away!  Don't think about it!  This is not
: a chain letter!  This story is true!  Don't check it out!  This story
: is so timely, there is no date on it!  This story is so important,
: we're using lots of exclamation points!  For every message you forward
: to some unsuspecting person, the Home for the Hopelessly Gullible will
: donate ten cents to itself.  (If you wonder how the Home will know you
: are forwarding these messages all over creation, you're obviously
: thinking too much.)
:
: *****************************************************************
:    ACT NOW!  DON'T DELAY!  LIMITED TIME!  NOT SOLD IN ANY STORE
: *****************************************************************
:
:
:
: ______________________________________________________
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