Virus Warning

[Donna D.]

Gad, I hate these things. I'm talking about all the virus warnings I get in my e-mail inbox. I'm certain most are smart enough to NOT open a link, etc. from an unknown person, but with the holiday's fast approaching, this one seems just to slick to not pass along.

Subject: Virus warning



Please be aware of a virus being circulated. With the coming holidays we may be tempted with this one. Please read the entire notice.

The virus circulating is:

The UPS/FedEx/DHL Delivery Failure.

You will receive an email from UPS/Fed Ex Service along with a packet number..

It will say that they were unable to deliver a package sent to you on such-and-such a date.

It then asks you to print out the invoice copy attached.

DON'T TRY TO PRINT THIS.

IT LAUNCHES THE VIRUS!

Snopes confirms that it is real.

http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/ups.asp

[Gerda, H]

Donna, thank you very much for this alert! Many people get some sorts of parcels around this time of the year!!

Gerda

[theresa p]

yikes!!! thanks so much. this is exactly the kind of email that people WOULD think nothing of opening.

you have done a good public service by announcing it.

[peterh]

It's worth noting that all communications from a shipper always has a tracking or package number attached to it, and that tracking number will be in the body of the email message, right where you can see it. You never need to open an attachment.

If you want to find out what's happening with a package that's being shipped to you, get your tracking number and go directly to the shipper's website (www.FedEx.com, www.USPS.com, www.dhl.com, www.UPS.com), navigate to your region (as needed -- e.g. the United States or Canada or wherever), and you'll find links to the shipper's tracking system right there on your country's home page. No email attachments are ever required.

[Doug Mager]

I'm left to wonder just HOW any of these delivery companys GOT my email addy to begin with??

[Mary F]

Doug - the shipping companies aren't the problem. They have nothing to do with the scam, except the scammers are pretending to be one of them (and this time of year it's feasible you might receive a package from a friend or family member, instead of just for things you've ordered/purchased online; thus, the "unsolicited" notification of a delivery attempt). Our email addresses get "harvested" in many ways - which is why we caution against people posting them here. We can contact each other via the board's email system and our member profiles. There's no need to ever post one's email address out in the open on this site.

Peter's advice is spot on.

[Daniel V.]

It's worth noting that all communications from a shipper always has a tracking or package number attached to it, and that tracking number will be in the body of the email message, right where you can see it. You never need to open an attachment... No email attachments are ever required.

Unfortunately, some companies still do it that way. Just last week I received shipment notification from DHL in the form of an attached Word .doc file. I found it suspicious at first and didn't open it until I remembered I was expecting a package, but good thing I did (after scanning the cr*p out of it) as it was legit. Not saying this is the norm or the way it should be, just that it can actually happen on occasion. Needless to say I was not impressed.

[james kent]

There are many false threats out there but I also got this one sent to me by my web/email provider. So I figured that it had some validity.

[Raya]

Unfortunately, some companies still do it that way. Just last week I received shipment notification from DHL in the form of an attached Word .doc file.

I haven't used DHL, so I don't know, but I wonder if you would also (alternatively) been able to go to DHL's website and access the information from there? If not, shame on them.

Raya

[LSChilders]

Just get an Apple MacBook computer, ... and don't worry about it.

Three years on the web, live on broadband 24 hours a day, no virus protection, no viruses, no problems.

[Pat And Arleen]

Sorry LSChilders, the repair shop I work at makes some good money removing viruses and worms from Mac's so I would say that’s just real bad advice not to use some kind of AV software. Yes more people go after Pc's because there are more of them out there to attack. But your Mac can get them too.

Just get an Apple MacBook computer, ... and don't worry about it.

Three years on the web, live on broadband 24 hours a day, no virus protection, no viruses, no problems.

[SherryNPaul]

If you forward emails, as many, many people do,
or... if your friends send you forwarded emails, as many, many people do...
Please make sure that you use the blind copy (bc) feature before you send emails, and suggest it strongly to your friends, as well.

Do not allow your email address to be out on the open net, available for "harvesting."

And never, never (as Donna has mentioned many times) put your email out on a post. Pm is there for a reason, and that is to protect you. Googlebot and all his bot friends will link you over and over again....

Protect your privacy. And your computer.

Sherry

[Don H.]

bump...