Quick And Easy Survey Phishing Scam

Summary:
Email claims that money will be credited to the recipient's account in return for filling out a "quick and easy" online survey (Full commentary below).
Status:
Phishing scam designed to steal account details

Example:(Received, November 2008) Subject:Official Notification

Congratulations!

Dear Customer,

You've been selected to take part in our quick and easy 8 questions survey In return we will credit $90.00 to your account - Just for your time!

This survey has been sent only to a few people from our random generator !

Please spare two minutes of your time and take part in our online survey so we can improve our services. Don't miss this chance to change something.

To access the form please click the link below :

[Link to bogus website removed]

With the information collected we can decide to direct a number of changes to improve and expand our online services.

Note: * If you received this message in your SPAM/BULK folder, that is because of the restrictions implemented by your ISP
* For security reasons, we will record your ip address, the date and time.
* Deliberate wrong imputs are criminally pursued and indicted.

Survey ID : 1255fr566

Commentary:
According to this email, the recipient can have $90 credited to his or her bank account simply by participating in an "easy 8 questions survey". The message includes a link to a website where the recipient can supposedly fill out the survey and claim the reward.

However, although the survey web page may look genuine, it is in fact designed to steal personal information including credit card details. Those who click the link will be presented with a web form like the one shown in the screen shot below.

The first portion of the form contains the bogus "survey questions". The second portion asks the victim to supply name and contact information and credit card details including the PIN attached to the card. The card information is supposedly required in order to credit the participant's account with the $90 survey fee. In reality, however, the fee is entirely imaginary and all information supplied on the bogus survey form will be collected and used by scammers.

Scammers have used the same paid survey ruse a number of times over the last few years. While the particular incarnation included here purports to be from Walmart, previous versions have targeted a wide range of companies and institutions including McDonald's, Citibank, Chase Bank and even the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Other details may also vary, including the amount of the supposed survey fee, the number of questions, and the type of bogus survey question included on the web form. In spite of such superficial differences, however, the underlying scam is the same and is, in every case, designed to steal financial information from victims.

The scam emails may include formatting and logos that make them look like valid company messages. However, they do not really originate from the company named in the emails. Links in these scam messages are generally disguised so that they appear to belong to the particular company being targeted. The bogus web forms used in the scam may also be styled to resemble the targeted company's genuine website.

Internet users should be very cautious of any unsolicited message that promises to pay a fee for filling out a short survey. Companies may certainly conduct customer surveys and may even reward participants by entering them into a prize draw or offering free or discounted products. In some cases, they may even pay customers who participate in in-depth surveys or organized focus groups. However, they are extremely unlikely to pay such a substantial fee for filling out a small and insignificant survey. Nor would any legitimate company resort to sending out unsolicited bulk emails in order to entice consumers to participate.

Phishing scams take many forms and all Internet users would be wise to gain an understanding of how such scams operate.

from: http://www.hoax-slayer.com/quick-easy-survey-scam.shtml

Evan Trembley Missing Child Hoax

Summary:
Email forward claims that 15-year-old Evan Trembley, is missing and asks recipients to pass on the message in the hope that someone has seen him.
Status:
False

Update:
A mutated version of the hoax claims that Evan is missing from Charters Towers, a town located in north Queensland, Australia.

Example:(Submitted, August 2007)

Subject: Evan Trembley

Amber Alert.

Staff Sergeant Rick Williams
Wichita Falls Police Dept.
1007 N. Elm St.
Wichita Falls, Texas 76310
[Phone Number Removed]

Please look at the picture, read what his mother says (below), then forward this message on. - Sometimes Internet Reports have produced remarkable results.

My 15 year old boy, Evan Trembley, is missing. He has been missing for now two weeks.

Maybe if everyone passes this on, someone will see this child. That is how the girl from Stevens Point was found by circulation of her picture on tv. The internet circulates even overseas, South America , and Canada etc.

Please pass this to everyone in your address book. With GOD on his side he will be found.

"I am asking you all, begging you to please forward this email on to anyone and everyone you know, PLEASE.

It is still not too late. Please help us. If anyone knows anything, please contact me at: HelpfindEvanTrembley@yahoocom I am including a picture of him.

All prayers are appreciated! ! "It only takes 2 seconds to forward this.

If it was your child, you would want all the help you could get!!

THANK YOU

Commentary:
According to this message, which claims to be an Amber Alert, 15-year-old Evan Trembley has been missing for two weeks. The message includes a photograph of Evan and supposedly contains a plea for help from the boy's distraught mother. It asks recipients to pass on the message to as many people as possible in the hope that someone has seen Evan.

However, the message is a hoax. Evan Trembley is a real child who lives in Wichita Falls, Texas, but he is not missing. In fact, young Evan himself is responsible for this fake Amber Alert. The teenager created the message as a joke and passed it on to some friends. Predictably, however, these friends passed it on to others and very soon the message had circulated far and wide with many recipients believing the information to be true. A summary of a KFDX TV news report about the prank previously published on TexomasHomepage.com noted:

A Rider High School sophomore is paying the price for a practical joke he says got out of hand. Last month, 15 year old Evan Trembley took a phony "Amber Alert" MySpace message and changed the details to make it seem like he was the missing person. He originally sent it to a few friends as a joke but it soon spread via e-mail to inboxes all over the world.

Evan tried to add some credibility to his prank message by creating a fictitious endorsement by one "Sergeant Rick Williams" of Wichita Falls Police Dept. In fact, there is no "Sergeant Rick Williams" and the police department contact details included in the message are incorrect. However, Evan did include his own phone number as part of the fake police endorsement and his family has since received a great many phone calls from concerned recipients of the hoax.

A newer version of the hoax claims that Evan went missing from a property located near the town of Charters Towers in Queensland Australia. Of course, this version of the hoax is as equally false as as the original Wichita Falls version.

Unfortunately, Evan's irresponsible prank is not unprecedented. The text of the message is based on a widely circulated hoax that has seen a number of variants. One of the earlier versions was the infamous Penny Brown Hoax that began circulating back in 2001 and still continues to hit inboxes around the world.

In 2006, another, almost identical, version of the hoax claimed that 13-year-old Ashley Flores was missing. As with Evan Trembley, the Ashley Flores version began as a practical joke but rapidly got out of hand. The message, along with Ashley's photograph, was soon passed to inboxes all around the world and still continues to circulate.

In yet another 2006 copycat version, another teenage prankster falsely claimed that a boy named Michael Hunt was missing. Although the name Michael Hunt was simply made up for the prank, the perpetrator included his own photograph and a working email address.

It seems clear that the youngsters who launch these pranks generally mean no real harm. However, they do seriously underestimate how far and how fast such messages can spread and they probably never stopped to consider the possible consequences of their little joke - at least until after the message begins to spread uncontrollably.

Such hoaxes are far from harmless. They waste the time of police departments and missing person organizations that must answer endless enquiries about children that are not really missing at all. They can also lessen the effectiveness of real missing child alerts. Before forwarding any missing child email it is very important to check its validity via credible sources such as news, police reports or missing person organizations. And if you do receive one of these false alerts, please let the sender know that the information is untrue and should not be forwarded.

from: http://www.hoax-slayer.com/evan-trembley-missing.shtml

Let's Say Thanks Website - Send a Card to a Soldier

Summary:
Message claims that members of the public can go to the "LetsSayThanks" website and choose a thank-you card that will be sent to US soldiers serving overseas (Full commentary below).
Status:
True

Example:(Submitted, August 2006) Subject: Let's say "THANKS" to our Armed Forces Personnel..

Let's Say Thanks!

http://www.letssaythanks.com/

If you go to the web site at LetsSayThanks.com you can pick out a thank you card and the Xerox Corporation will print it and it will be sent to a soldier that is currently serving in Iraq. You can't pick out who gets it, but it will go to some member of the armed services. It is FREE and it only takes a second. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the soldiers received a bunch of these?

Commentary:
This message urges recipients to say "thank-you" to US Armed Forces personnel serving overseas by visiting a website and selecting a card to be printed and sent to a soldier. The information in the message is true.

In June 2006, Xerox launched Let'sSayThanks.com, a website that allows visitors to select from a range of postcard designs created by US children and add a personalized message to a soldier. The cards are then printed out and delivered to soldiers deployed in Iraq, Afghanistan and other locations. Information on Let'sSayThanks.com outlines the purpose of the site:

The mission of Let's Say Thanks is to provide a way for individuals across the country to recognize U.S. troops stationed overseas. By submitting a message through this site you will send a free personalized postcard greeting to deployed servicemen and women.

The postcards, depicting patriotic scenes and hometown images, were selected from a pool of entries from children across the country.

According to the Let's Say Thanks FAQ, postcards are printed in batches and distributed to various locations along with care packages from Give2TheTroops®. Cards should reach their destination in one or two months from the time they are submitted on the site.

from: http://www.hoax-slayer.com/xerox-say-thanks.html

Flower And Wine Delivery Credit Card Scam Warning

Summary:
Email warning describes an incident in which a scammer, posing as a courier delivering an unexpected gift of wine and roses, stole the gift recipient's credit card details with the use of a portable card scanning device (Full commentary below).

Status:
True - A scammer used this scheme in Sydney, Australia during November 2008

Example:(Submitted, November 2008) Subject: Credit card fraud wine and flowers delivery

Hi everyone,

I want to let you all know that Frank and I have been the victims of credit card fraud this week and felt I should warn you all about the clever scam. It works like this:

Last Wednesday I had a phone call late morning from Express Couriers to ask if I was going to be home as he had a delivery for me. He said he would there in roughly an hour. He turned up with a beautiful basket of flowers and wine. I expressed my surprise as I wasn't expecting anything like this and said I was intrigued to know who was sending me such a lovely gift. He said he was only delivering the gift and the card was being sent separately (the card has never arrived). There was a consignment note with the gift.

He went on to explain that because the gift contained alcohol he has to charge the recipient $3.50 as proof that he has actually delivered to an adult, and not left it on a door step if the recipient is out, to be stolen or taken by children. This seemed logical and I offered to get the cash. He then said that the company required the payment to be by Eftpos so he's not handling cash and everything is properly accounted for. Frank was there and got his credit card and "John" swiped the card on this small mobile machine that also had a small screen upon which Frank entered in his pin number. A receipt was printed out and given to us.

Between last Thursday and Monday $4,000 was withdrawn from our credit account at ATM machines in the north shore area. It appears a dummy credit card was made using the details in the machine and of course, they had Frank's pin number.

The Bank has stopped our cards and I've been to the Police this morning, where they confirmed that it is a definite scam and many households were hit during the first 3 days of October.

So PLEASE be wary of accepting a gift you're not expecting especially if the card is not with it. We've all received gifts like this and would never dream that it could be such a despicable act. Please also let other female friends and relatives know. Hopefully, these fraudsters have ceased this activity by now but you never know. I wanted to warn all my friends.

P.S. I don't think I'll ever drink the wine - I'd probably choke on it!

Commentary:

©iStockphoto.com/Izabela Habur A Sydney based fraudster posing as a courier delivering a gift of wine and flowers has stolen credit card details via a portable card skimming device

This email relates an incident in which a couple had $4000 stolen from their credit card account after a fraudster posing as a delivery driver tricked them into swiping their credit card on a portable card skimming device. According to the message, the scammer pretended to be a courier delivering an unexpected gift of wine and flowers. The scammer claimed that, because the gift included alcohol, the company required a small fee to be paid to prove that the gift had been delivered to an adult. He insisted that the fee be paid via card rather than cash and presented what seemed to be a legitimate mobile EFTPOS machine. However, the machine was in fact a skimming device that recorded the victim's credit card details.

The information in the warning message is true. A spate of such crimes occurred in several suburbs in Sydney's north-west in late 2008. A November 7 New South Wales Police Media Release notes:

Police in Sydney’s north-west have released an image of a man they believe can assist with inquiries into a fraudulent delivery scam which leaves people robbed of their savings.

A number of people across the Eastwood, Gladesville and Kuring-gai Local Area Commands have told police they believe they are the victim of a manipulative scam which has left their bank accounts wiped clean.

In all instances, police have been told a man has knocked at the door of residential homes dressed as a courier with a bunch of flowers and bottles of wine. The man has then delivered a parcel requiring a signature to confirm the goods have been received.

The man is alleged to have told recipients of the parcel that a delivery fee of $3.50 is required and must be done via EFTPOS. In all instances, those involved have swiped their credit card into a hand-held machine and been given a receipt for their payment.

Since the media release was published, a man has been apprehended and charged in relation to the incidents. A November 23 article in the Sydney Morning Herald notes:

A MAN charged with stealing more than $30,000 by posing as a delivery man bearing wine and flowers was refused bail in court yesterday.

David John Hennessey, 50, was stopped by police on the F3 freeway at Wahroonga, in northern Sydney, on Friday. He was arrested after a police search of his car allegedly found a number of card skimming devices.

Police allege that Hennessey had defrauded 10 residents of the Eastwood-Gladesville and Ku-ring-gai areas of $32,000 by posing as a delivery man bearing wine and flowers.

Residents should certainly remain vigilant with regard to such scams. Similar schemes have been used by criminals in the past. Portable card reader equipment is now regularly used by many businesses and is becoming commonplace. Criminals are likely to continue to exploit the popularity of such machines by using card skimming devices that look the same as genuine card readers.

It should be noted however, that the particular incident described in this email occurred in Sydney, Australia and the culprit has now been apprehended. Some versions of the warning message that are circulating falsely claim that the incident took place in other locations, including the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia, North Vancouver, Canada and at least one Asian city.

While they may be perfectly valid when first launched, a problem with such warning emails is that they may continue to circulate for years and eventually become outdated and redundant. And, as noted, false or misleading information may be added to the messages as they circulate and such additions can significantly erode their use as warnings. Before forwarding such warning messages, it is always wise to check that the information they contain is accurate and up-to-date.
from:http://www.hoax-slayer.com/flowers-wine-credit-card-scam.shtml

Christmas Cards for Recovering American Soldiers

Summary:
Message claims that people can send Christmas greetings to wounded soldiers by addressing cards to "A Recovering American soldier" care of the Walter Reed Army Medical Center (Full commentary below).

Status:
Addressing information is incorrect - See commentary below for valid instructions for sending Holiday Mail for Heroes

Example:(Submitted, November 2008)

Subject: FW: Christmas Cards

GREAT IDEA!! When doing your Christmas cards this year, take one card and send it to this address. If we pass this on and everyone sends one card, think of how many cards these wonderful special people who have sacrificed so much would get.

When you are making out your Christmas card list this year, please include the following:

A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue,NW
Washington,D.C. 20307-5001

If you approve, please pass it on.

Commentary:
This message advises recipients that they can send Christmas cards addressed to "A Recovering American soldier" care of the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. While this might seem like a good way to show support for wounded soldiers, the information in the message is incorrect. Cards sent to "A Recovering American soldier" or similar will not be accepted by Walter Reed Army Medical Center. However, cards can be sent to servicemembers via the "Holiday Mail for Heroes" campaign operated by the American Red Cross. An announcement on the Walter Reed Army Medical Center explains:

The American Red Cross is sponsoring a national "Holiday Mail for Heroes" campaign to receive and distribute holiday cards to servicemembers and veterans both in the United States and abroad.

Holiday Mail for Heroes, which began Tuesday, Veterans Day, is a follow-up to the 2007 effort that resulted in the collection and distribution of more than 600,000 cards to hospitalized servicemembers. This year's program will expand its reach to not only wounded servicemembers but also veterans and their families. The goal is to collect and distribute 1 million pieces of holiday mail.

"As we enter this holiday season-a time to celebrate with family and friends-it's important to remember the thousands of men and women who serve our nation in harm's way and those who are recovering in military and veterans hospitals," said Army Col. Norvell V. Coots, commander, Walter Reed Health Care System. "The Holiday Mail for Heroes program is a wonderful outreach effort and a great way to acknowledge the sacrifices of our men and women in uniform."

Holiday cards should be mailed to:
Holiday Mail for Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD. 20791-5456

All cards must be postmarked no later than Dec. 10. Cards should not be mailed or delivered to Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

Further details about the campaign are available on the American Red Cross website. The article notes:

The Red Cross is partnering with Pitney Bowes this holiday season for the Holiday Mail for Heroes campaign. For the second year in a row, we're collecting holiday cards to distribute to American service members, veterans and their families in the United States and around the world. Pitney Bowes is generously donating technology, resources and postage to make this holiday card program possible.

Our goal is to collect and distribute one million holiday cards to spread holiday cheer and facilitate thanks to these brave individuals and families.

For full guidelines for sending cards, please refer to the Red Cross website.
from:http://www.hoax-slayer.com/soldier-christmas-card.shtml

Brown Recluse Spider Bite Warning

Summary:
Email forward warns about the danger of Brown Recluse spiders and includes graphic pictures of a wound supposedly caused by a recluse bite (Full commentary below.)
Status:
Unsubstantiated

Update:
A new version of the warning message claims that the spider shown in the photograph is a "new known" spider that is spreading throughout eastern Australia and heading for Western Australia. This information is untrue. See commentary for details.

Example:(Submitted, May 2006)

I thought that you would all benefit from these pictures, now the last couple pictures are nasty and the very last picture is the spider itself, but basically these pictures are showing the effects of a brown recluse spider bite.

The following illustrates the progression of a brown recluse spider bite. The affected skin actually dies on his body. Some of the pictures towards the end are pretty nasty, but take a look at the last one -- it is a picture of the spider itself.

The Brown Recluse Spider is the most dangerous spider that we have here in the USA.

A person can die from it's bite. We all should know what the spider looks like. Send this around to people you love, because it is almost summertime. People will be digging around, doing yard work, spring cleaning, and sometimes in their attics. Please be careful.

Spider bites are dangerous and can have permanent and highly negative consequences. They like the darkness and tend to live in storage sheds or attics or other areas that might not be frequented by people or light. If you have a need to be in your attic, go up there and turn on a light and leave it on for about 30 minutes before you go in to do your work.

This man was bitten by a Brown Recluse spider:


Day 3
The following illustrates the progression of a brown recluse spider bite. The affected skin actually dies on his body.


Day 5
Some of the pictures towards the end are pretty nasty, but take a look at the last one -- it is a picture of the spider itself.


Day 6


Day 9
A person can die from it's bite. We all should know what the spider looks like


The Dangerous Brown Recluse Spider

Commentary:
This email forward warns of the dangers of the Brown Recluse spider and includes several photographs depicting the progression of a wound supposedly caused by a bite from one of these spiders. Versions of the warning have been circulating since at least 2002.

Although there is no reason to doubt that the wound depicted in the photographs is real, there is also no way of determining if it was actually caused by a Brown Recluse spider bite. This message does not identify the victim shown in the pictures nor does it provide any way of confirming that the wound was a result of a Brown Recluse. Different versions have claimed that the bite occurred in several different areas of the United States and Canada.

Brown Recluse venom can cause necrosis (tissue death) in the area of the bite and can result in a deep and painful wound that takes a long time to heal. However, a number of other causes can result in similar wounds. An Ohio State University Fact Sheet about Brown Recluse Spiders notes that:

Necrotic wounds can result from a variety of agents such as bacteria (Staphylococcus, "flesh-eating" Streptococcus, etc.), viruses, fungi, and arthropods (non-recluse spiders, centipedes, mites, ticks, wasps, bedbugs, kissing bugs, biting flies, etc.). Necrotic conditions also can be caused by vascular and lymphatic disorders, drug reactions, underlying diseases states, and a variety of other agents.

That said, it is possible that the wound is indeed the result of a Brown Recluse spider bite. However, true or not, the message that accompanies the photograph tends to exaggerate risks associated with the bite of the Brown Recluse. Many Brown Recluse bites only cause a small red mark and heal without long-term effects. Also, deaths from Brown Recluse bites are extremely rare. In an article discussing this email warning, entomologist Rick Vetter from the University of California, notes that:

Despite the fact that lots of people believe that brown recluses are deadly, there are only about 8 reported deaths from possible brown recluse bites in the medical literature, Philip Anderson states that there is still not one VERIFIED death from a brown recluse bite and none of the alleged fatal cases are convincing.

Vetter also explains that, if the images do really depict a Brown recluse bite, the case would be "truly one of the rare, horrific ones" and certainly not the normal outcome of such a bite.

Also, Brown Recluse bites are very commonly misdiagnosed and this adds to the myths and hysteria surrounding the creatures. According to a University of California article,

One reason for the great "awareness" of the recluse spiders throughout the United States is that necrotic wounds are misdiagnosed as "brown recluse bites." Although recluses can cause these wounds, the biological data involving the distribution of the spider indicate that most of these diagnoses are incorrect.

Furthermore, the Ohio State University Fact Sheet notes that the "brown recluse spider is not aggressive, and it normally bites only when crushed, handled or disturbed."

Thus, think twice before forwarding this message. The wound depicted may not even be from a Brown Recluse and, in any case, the message overstates the risk of these spiders. Certainly, Brown Recluse spiders can be dangerous and people should be aware of what they look like and where they live. However, I would suggest reviewing Rick Vetter's in-depth analysis of this message and other information about recluse spiders before you hit the forward button.

Update: November 2008
During 2008, a new version of the warning message began circulating in Australia. The new variant includes the same photographs as the earlier version, but substitutes the following information in place of the original text:

This is a new known spider, so please take note. Has been found all over Eastern Aust and heading to WA. Looks similar to a huntsman.

This spider is in all states so watchout in fact it looks a bit like a huntsman

Not a good look!!

Please take note of this spider - it is very dangerous. Please warn kids and send to every one you know to alert them as well! This spider is breeding at a rate of speed and is found in more and more houses!!!!

While the veracity of the original version is questionable, this version of the warning is totally untrue and should be considered as an outright hoax. The spider shown in both versions of the warning message is indeed a Brown Recluse. Although the spider is known to inhabit a restricted area of a southern Australian state, there are no credible reports that suggest that the Brown Recluse or any similar spider is now spreading in Australia. Nor have there been any recorded bites from the spider in Australia. The message uses the same set of images that were included in the original US version. Thus, it seems clear that some prankster has simply modified the original version to suit Australian conditions and sent it on its way.

Furthermore, the Queensland Museum has also dismissed the warning message as a hoax. After many enquirers from concerned members of the public, Queensland Museum has now published an article debunking the hoax on its website:
Spider hoax clogs inboxes Australia-wide

Some commentators have suggested that the Australian version of the warning may refer to Australia's White-tailed Spider. The White-tailed Spider is a creature that, like the Brown Recluse in the US, has been the subject of many reports regarding the severity of necrotic wounds caused by its bite. However, these reports are largely unsubstantiated. A fact sheet on the Australian Museum website notes:

White-tailed Spider bites can cause initial burning pain followed by swelling and itchiness at the bitten area. Occasionally, weals, blistering or local ulceration have been reported - conditions known medically as necrotising arachnidism. As well as the spider's venom, minor bacterial infection of the wound may be a contributory factor in such cases.

A debate continues about the involvement of White-tailed Spider bite in cases of severe ulcerative skin lesions seen in patients diagnosed as probable spider bite victims. Typically, in such cases no direct evidence of spider bite is available. Sensational media reporting of supposed cases of severe "necrotising arachnidism" has given the White-tailed Spider a bad reputation. However, a recent study has monitored the medical outcomes of over 100 verified White-tailed Spider bites and found not a single case of ulceration (confirming the results of an earlier study). The available evidence suggests that skin ulceration is not a common outcome of White-tailed Spider bite.

And, in any case, the photograph in the warning message certainly does not show a White-tailed Spider.

Sending on this bogus warning message, will serve only to spread misinformation and cause unnecessary fear and alarm.

from:http://www.hoax-slayer.com/brown-recluse.html

Product Barcode Country Identification

Summary:
Email claims that consumers can identify what country a product was manufactured in by analyzing the first 3 digits of the product's barcode (Full commentary below).
Status:
Misleading

Example:(Submitted, November 2008) Subject: Product Bar Coding

Product Bar Coding

The whole world is scared of China made 'black hearted goods'. Can you differentiate which one is made in the USA , Philippines , Taiwan or China ? For your Information ... the first 3 digits of the barcode is the country code wherein the product was made.

Sample: all barcodes that start with 690.691.692 until 695 are all MADE IN CHINA.
471 is Made in Taiwan

This bar code is 471 – Made in Taiwan

This is our human right to know, but the government and related department never educate the public, therefore we have to RESCUE ourselves.

Nowadays, Chinese businessmen know that consumers do not prefer products 'made in china', so they don't show from which country it is made.

However, you may now refer to the barcode, remember if the first 3 digits is 690-695 then it is Made in China .

00 ~ 13 USA & CANADA
30 ~ 37 FRANCE
40 ~ 44 GERMANY
49 ~ JAPAN
50 ~ UK
57 ~ Denmark
64 ~ Finland
76 ~ Switzerland and Lienchtenstein
471 ~ Taiwan
628 ~ Saudi-Arabien
629 ~ United Arab Emirates
690-695 ~ China
740 ~ 745 - Central America
All 480 Codes are Made in the Philippines.

Commentary:
This email claims that consumers can find out which country a product was manufactured in by examining the product's barcode. According to the message, the first three digits of the product barcode identify where the product was made. It suggests that concerned consumers could thus easily identify products made in countries with a dubious reputation for contaminated or dangerous products such as China by matching the first three barcode digits to a country list included in the message.

©iStockphoto.com/imagestock The first three digits of a product barcode do not always identify where the product was made

However, the information in the message is quite misleading.

The first three digits of European Article Number (EAN) barcodes are known as the manufacturing code and they do indicate which EAN numbering authority allocated a particular set of numbers. Every country that uses the EAN system has its own numbering authority which is responsible for assigning manufacturer codes for companies within its jurisdiction. These codes are sometimes referred to as "country codes". Thus, at first take, the information in the message may seem valid.

However, in reality, this is not the case. An FAQ published on bar code information website Bar Code 1 explains:

Does the barcode number indicate the country of origin of a product?

No it doesn't. The 3-digit prefix code indicates which numbering organization has allocated the bank of numbers to the company. For example, a company may have it's headquarters in South Africa. The EAN organization in South Africa has the code "600", but all the products of the company may be manufactured in England. The English-made products would still have the "600" prefix code. The prefix code is a way to have 70-plus EAN member organizations issuing numbers without having to worry about duplicate numbers.

This information is confirmed on a barcode prefix list published on global standards organisation, GS1's website:

GS1 Prefixes do not provide identification of country of origin for a given product. They simply provide number capacity to different countries for assignment from that location to companies who apply. Those companies in turn may manufacture products anywhere in the world.

Thus, while the first three digits of the product barcode may sometimes indicate where the product was manufactured, it will not always do so. For example, a barcode that has 690 as the first three digits indicates that the barcode was assigned by the Chinese EAN numbering authority. However, it does not necessarily mean that the product was actually manufactured in China.

Therefore, the advice given in this email is actually rather pointless. The information in the email would only be useful to consumers if the prefix invariably indicated where a product was manufactured. The fact that the barcode prefix is not a reliable and constant method of determining a product's country of manufacture means that, while the information in the email may be interesting, it is actually of little practical value.

from:http://www.hoax-slayer.com/product-bar-codes.shtml

SMS Advance Fee Prize Scam

Summary:
Mobile phone SMS claims that the recipient has won a major prize in a rewards promotion and should call a specified number to find out further details (Full commentary below).
Status:
False

Example:(Submitted, November 2008) JAPAN INTENATIONAL MOTORS: you have WON toyota prado VX 4WD worth 110000US$ dollars,in GLOBAL internate rewards promotion,call Mr.Nick on [number removed] now!

Commentary:

©iStockphoto.com/DSGpro Beware of SMS messages that claim that you have won a prize or cash in a promotion that you have never entered

Scammers are quick to use any means at their disposal in order to steal money from their victims. Long before the arrival of the Internet, advance fee scammers operated via surface mail and telephone. Email and the World Wide Web have made their tasks much easier. And fraudsters also use other modern technologies, including the Short Message Service (SMS) communication protocol on mobile phones.

Except for the means of distribution, the above scam attempt is basically the same as thousands of other prize advance fee scams that are sent via email. The scam SMS claims that the recipient has won an expensive 4DW vehicle in a global "rewards promotion" and instructs him or her to call a specified number to claim the prize.

However, neither the prize nor the supposed promotion actually exists. The SMS is simply the bait used to fool potential victims into contacting the fraudsters responsible. If a recipient does take the bait and reply, he or she will be asked to pay an upfront fee, supposedly to procure the release of the prize. The scammers may claim that the payment is to cover, insurance, delivery costs, legal fees or any one of a plethora of other bogus excuses. If the victim pays the first of the requested fees, other payment requests may follow. Of course, all of the money sent by the victim will be kept by the scammers. The victim will never receive the "prize" nor is he or she likely to get his or her money back even if the police are eventually notified.

The scammers may also trick their victim into supplying a large amount of personal information that could be subsequently use to steal his or her identity. People should be very cautious of any SMS, email, fax, or surface mail message that claims that they have won money or a prize in a lottery that they have never entered.

Note:
Some unscrupulous companies have also use "prize winner" SMS messages or phone calls to trick users into making expensive premium rate calls, supposedly to claim their prize. Although these premium rate schemes are not related to the advance fee scams described above, and may not even be illegal, mobile phone users should certainly be aware that responding to some prize calls or SMS's could very rapidly rack up sizable phone bills.

House Removal Bridge Accident Photographs

Summary:
Photographs show an accident in which a house, along with the large truck carrying it, became stuck across a river after a bridge collapsed, presumably due to the excess weight of the vehicle's load (Full commentary below).

Status:
Origin unknown - Research in Progress

Example:(Submitted, November 2008) Subject: Engineering Question

Engineering Questions of the Day

Q.) How much does a house weigh and

How much can a rural two-lane bridge Hold???

SO! WOULD THIS BE COVERED BY HOUSE INSURANCE, CAR INSURANCE, OR, DOES IT COME UNDER ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE ???







Commentary:
They say that every picture tells a story and these are no exception. It seems reasonable to suggest that the hapless organizers of a house removal project have made a serious miscalculation when planning their route with quite devastating and destructive results. However, without knowing any of the circumstances involved in the depicted incident, it is difficult to draw any concrete conclusions.

The images have been posted to a number of online communities and blogs and also circulate via email. So far, none of the descriptions I have seen mention where or when the mishap took place. The earliest posts I have seen containing the images date back to late 2007.

Some commentators have suggested that the images have been digitally altered. Although this cannot be conclusively ruled out, I have so far seen no evidence that casts doubt on the authenticity of the images.

I am currently attempting to discover where and when this incident took place. If you have any knowledge about the images, please email me or leave a comment below.

from:http://www.hoax-slayer.com/house-removal-bridge-accident.shtml

Obama Malware Emails

In the wake of the US Presidential election, inboxes around the world are being hit by malware emails supposedly providing news about Barack Obama's historic win. Soon after the results were announced the first batch of bogus "news" emails were sent out. These messages claim to provide news about the election and contain a link that supposedly opens a video showing Obama's "amazing" acceptance speech. However, clicking the link opens a webpage that claims that, in order to view the video, the user is required to download what appears to be a new version of Adobe Flash Player. In fact, the download is not a flash player at all, but a trojan that, once installed, can collect sensitive personal information from the infected computer and send it to a remote server. The emails arrive with a variety of subject lines.

Criminals regularly exploit major news events and it is not surprising that they have chosen to target the US election results. Malware distributors are likely to continue to exploit the election over the coming weeks and months. Internet users should be very caution of any unsolicited emails claiming to link to news, videos or photographs concerning the election. If you receive such a message, do not click on any links contained in the email or open any attachments that it may contain.

References:
US Presidential Malware
Blizzard of US Presidential malware
Spammers use 'Obama' emails to load trojans

from:http://www.hoax-slayer.com/obama-malware-emails.shtml

Babysitting Overpayment Scam

Criminals use a large variety of nefarious schemes to "launder" their ill gotten gains and/or trick unwary victims into sending them money or personal information. One such scheme involves sending the victim a cheque or money order for considerably more than a previously agreed upon price and asking him or her to wire the "extra" amount to a specified recipient. The scammers claim that the extra money is to cover further costs such as supplies or shipping fees.

In reality, the victim will be unknowingly sending the money directly back to the scammers, usually as a cash wire transfer. In this way, criminals are able to reap the proceeds of their crimes without leaving a trail that will lead the police to their door. For example, the scammer may send the victim a cheque for several thousand dollars, which is supposedly enough to cover the cost of an item he is purchasing as well as a "delivery" fee that is to be forwarded to a third party "agent". The victim will be instructed to bank the cheque, and once it clears, send the extra amount to the agent via a wire transfer. Alas, the cheque will turn out to be stolen and investigations may lead police to the victim who processed it. Meanwhile, the criminal has been able to procure a sizable portion of the stolen money in the form of untraceable cash.

The following real life example should help to illustrate how these overpayment scammers operate. The scammer first contacted his potential victim with the following message:

Subject: Can You BabySit For Me

Hello,

My name is Dr Bill, I need a babysitter for my twins, i live in london Canada but am coming down to your area in the state for a Six Weeks seminar and am coming down with my set of twins,i lost my wife some months back and i cant leave my babies behinde here in Canada.

Please get back to me if you are intrested in babysitting for my twins.I need someone that will take care of them as her own baby. Please get back to be on time so we can arrange how possible this will be.

Thanks Dr Bill

The potential victim responded and, after more correspondence, a price for the babysitting work was arranged. The scammer then sent the following message:

Hi,

Thanks for the prompt response, I have informed my colleague that i have gotten someone who will be caring for my Kids and am really looking up to the care you will give to my KIDS.I will have the deposit and the payment for your service for babysitting my Kids made to you prior to my arrival, Also I have contacted a store that will be shipping the KIDS item to your address with the KIDS toys,i just want to inform you about this and i will be forwarding money for the KIDS item plus your a month wages,so you can forward the money for the KIDS item to the Store Manager and she can send the items to you before i arrive with the KIDS and so you can put everything in place prior to our arrival.

Get back to me with your Full Name and Address including your phone number.

Anticipating to meet you and get the best care for the KIDS.Also i will be staying in an hotel, i will let you know the exact address before we arrive. I look forward to hearing back from you.

Thanks
Dr Bill

Thus, the scammer intended to send money for a babysitting deposit as well as extra to be forwarded to a "Store Manager" who would supposedly send supplies for the children after receiving payment. In reality, this extra money would have been sent back to the scammer or an accomplice after the babysitter inadvertently banked a stolen or bogus cheque.

Thankfully, the intended victim in this case became suspicious and pulled out of the "agreement" before it was too late. Unfortunately, many victims do fall for overpayment and job offer laundering scams every day.

Internet users should be very suspicious of any business arrangements in which the buyer or client offers to send an amount over the agreed price with instructions to forward the extra money to a third party. The following links provide more information about overpayment and payment transfer job scams:

• Overpayment Cheque Scam
  
  
• Website Advertising Enquiry Scam
  
  
• Payment Transfer Job Scam Emails - Laundering Scams
  
  
• Overseas Artist Job Offer Scam

from:http://www.hoax-slayer.com/baby-sitting-overpayment-scam.shtml

Denmark Whaling Shame Protest Email

Summary:
Email claims that attached photographs depict a bloody whale slaughter near a shore in the Faroe Islands, a province that is part of Denmark (Full commentary below).
Status:
True

Example:(Submitted, November 2008) Subject: Denmark, What a Shame

DENAMRK: WHAT A SHAME, A SAD SHAME. THIS MAIL HAS TO BE SEEN . THERE IS NO WORST BEAST THAN HUMAN KIND ITSELF!!!!

While it may seem liar even today continues to be made this time of year BRUTAL, Dantesque, bloody slaughter in the Faroe Islands, which belong to Denmark. A country supposedly 'civilization' AND EUROPEAN UNION country. For many people this attack to life is unknown , to sensitivity. IN THIS bloody slaughter to attend Moz to 'show' entering adulthood (!) Is absolutely incredible that no one does ANYTHING to prevent this barbarism that are committed against Calderon, an intelligent dolphin who has the particularity of approaching People out of sheer curiosity. fwd this everywhere, PLEASE.

Pass it on to your friends around the world! It is OUTRAGEOUS!!!!!

Make Denmark STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!





















Commentary:
This protest message decries the killing of pilot whales in the Faroe Islands and includes a series of photographs that graphically depict this bloody slaughter. The message calls on Denmark, of which the Faroe Islands is a part, to stop the slaughter and urges recipients to pass on the message in order to raise awareness of the issue.

The claims in the email are true. Such whale hunts do indeed occur in the Faroe Islands, usually during the summer months. The Faroe Islands are made up of a number of small inhabited islands. Every year, hundreds of Long-finned Pilot Whales are killed in such slaughters. The hunts are non-commercial and anyone in the island communities can join in at will. When a school of whales is spotted close to shore, messengers are dispatched to inform local inhabitants of the particular island involved. A formation of small boats is then used to drive the whales ashore, where they beach themselves in the shallow water and are killed by waiting islanders. A special whaling knife is used to sever the animal's spine near the dorsal fin. Information on a Faroe Islands website about whaling in the province describes the killing process:

Men gather on the shore to kill the beached whales. Ideally, most of the whales will strand far enough up on shore that it is unnecessary to secure them. However, those remaining in the shallows must be secured and hauled closer. Traditionally, this is done by driving a steel hook, or gaff, with a rope attached to it into the back of the whale. A new blunt hook inserted into an airsac in the whale’s blowhole has now been widely tested in practice and it is hoped that this new equipment may eventually replace the traditional gaff as the standard method for securing whales. The whale is killed using a sharp knife to cut down to sever the spinal cord, which also severs the major blood supply to the brain, ensuring both the loss of consciousness and death within seconds.

These whale kills have occurred in the Faroe Islands for hundreds of years and are considered by Islanders to be an important part of their social culture. It is generally only Faroese men who take part in the killings while female islanders look on. The whale hunts have caused international outrage and have been roundly condemned as unnecessary and barbaric by conservation and animal rights groups around the world. However, Faroe Islanders vigorously defend their right to engage in the hunts. A Wikipedia entry on the subject notes:

Most Faroese maintain that it is their right to catch pilot whales given that they have done so for centuries. The Faroese whalers defend their actions before international organizations like Greenpeace with three arguments: one, that grindadráp is not a hunt as such, but a dráp meaning a kill (ie that they do not regularly take to sea just to hunt for pilot whales, but only kill those which are sighted swimming to close at land); two, that the pilot whale hunt does not exist for commercial reasons, but for internal food distribution among households; and three, they do not believe the pilot whale to be an endangered species.

They further argue that most people in the modern world have become so far removed from the harsh realities of animal food production that they have formulated unrealistic notions of how food actually gets to their tables.

However, conservation organisations do not consider these factors to be valid arguments for the continuation of the slaughters. They argue that modern day Faroe Islanders have ample food and do not require whale meat to survive as in earlier centuries. Moreover, they point out that Pilot Whales in the region are known to have high levels of mercury, PCBs and environmental poisons and excessive consumption of whale meat could be detrimental to the health of Islanders.

In spite of its cultural significance, the continuation of the practise is very difficult to convincingly defend and even some Faroe Islanders have began opposing it.

It should be noted that, although the Faroe Islands are indeed a part of the Kingdom of Denmark, they are largely an autonomous entity. A home-rule law was brought into effect in 1948 which gave the Faroe Islands a considerable degree of political independence from Denmark. The Faroese are self governing in most matters other than foreign affairs, the legal system and defence. Furthermore, although Denmark is certainly part of the European Union, the Faroe Islands are not. Information about the Faroe Islands on theUK Trade & Investment website notes:

Denmark granted the Faroe Islands a measure of Home Rule as a self-governing populace in 1948. Over the years the ties to Denmark have gradually relaxed so that, whilst being part of the Kingdom of Denmark, the islands have their own parliament and flag and issue their own bank notes and stamps. The special status of the Faroe Islands means that their policies and tax regimes do not always coincide, indeed some differ greatly, with those of Denmark. For example, the Faroe Islands are not a member of the European Union and all trade is governed by special treaties with the EU. In November 2003 the Faroe Islands agreed with the EU and acceeded to membership of the Pan-European System of Cumulation of Origin. In principle this is a mutual free-trade agreement.

Thus, demanding that Denmark put a stop to the slaughter may not be the most effective approach. The continuation of international condemnation and pressure to stop the whale kills might be more effectively aimed directly to the Faroe Islanders themselves.

from:http://www.hoax-slayer.com/denmark-whaling.shtml

One Wing Plane Landing - Best Air Race Pilot Ever Video

Summary:
Video supposedly shows an air race pilot successfully landing his plane after one wing snapped off during a mid air manoeuvre (Full commentary below).
Status:
Almost certainly false - Probably part of a viral ad campaign for German clothing company killathrill

Example:(Submitted, November 2008)

Subject: Fw: Wing breaks off stunt plane Best pilot EVER!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRCbkBfdBrQ

Commentary:
This video, supposedly depicting a skilled pilot's miraculous landing after one wing snapped off his aircraft during a mid air stunt, is rapidly circulating via email and online. Some viewers apparently believe that the video is genuine footage of a real incident. However, many commentators suggest that all is not what it seems to be. The landing sequence, especially, looks decidedly suspect and most probably depicts a remote control plane rather than a full sized aircraft. The video is almost certainly the result of clever editing and manipulation with full sized and remote controlled aircraft.

The supposed pilot of the aircraft has been identified as one James Andersson. Andersson has his own website which discusses his alleged prowess as a pilot. The site even features an interview in which "Jimmy" talks about the lost wing landing incident. However, there is strong evidence to suggest that both the one winged landing video and and the pilot's website are part of an elaborate advertising scheme launched by German fashion design company killathrill. The killathrill brand name features prominently on the stricken aircraft, supposedly as Andersson's sponsor. The pilot also wears a killathrill jacket during his "interview" about the incident.

The WhoIs record for the domain, jamesandersson.com lists the registrant as one Sandra Thielecke and includes a killathrill.com email address. It seems more than a coincidence that Sandra Thielecke is in turn listed on the killathrill website as the company's geschäftsführerin (female managing director). And, in spite of James Andersson's supposedly long involvement with stunt flying and air races, there is seemingly no mention of his past deeds other than on his own website and in comments related to the video itself. The WhoIs record also reveals that the domain was only registered in September 2008.

Moreover, if genuine, such a compelling piece of footage would have almost certainly been prominently featured in TV news shows around the world. Instead, it apparently only made it to YouTube.

Thus, it seems very likely that the video and the related website are yet another clandestine advertising campaign aimed at raising the profile of a particular company, in this case, killathrill. Such "viral" advertising videos are a new trend in online marketing and have proved very successful for other companies. A Dutch travel company has used another "amazing" aircraft landing video as part of a viral advertising campaign. A video supposedly showing cell phones making popcorn was later revealed to be an ad for Bluetooth headsets. And a "scary" video of an elevator ghost turned out to be a promotion by a consultancy company in Singapore.

In time, killathrill, like other companies who have pulled such stunts, is likely to "own up" and further reap the benefits of its creations. Meanwhile, the video will continue to circulate, generating much intense debate as to its veracity and affording killathrill a great deal of free publicity.

from:http://www.hoax-slayer.com/one-wing-plane-landing-video.shtml

Door To Hell Gas Fire Photographs

Summary:
Message claims that attached photographs depict a gas filled crater that has been burning continually for more than 35 years(Full commentary below).
Status:
Photographs are genuine - Description may be true but is largely unsubstantiated

Example:(Submitted, November 2008) Subject: FW: Door To Hell

Door to hell

This place in Uzbekistan is called by locals "The Door to Hell". It is situated near the small town of Darvaz. The story of this place lasts already for 35 years. Once the geologists were drilling for gas. Then suddenly during the drilling they have found an underground cavern, it was so big that all the drilling site with all the equipment and camps got deep deep under the ground.

None dared to go down there because the cavern was filled with gas. So they ignited it so that no poisonous gas could come out of the hole, and since then, it's burning, already for 35 years without any pause. Nobody knows how many tons of excellent gas has been burned for all those years but it just seems to be infinite there.









Commentary:
This message, which circulates via email, blogs and online communities, claims that these spectacular photographs show a large crater filled with natural gas that has been burning continual for three decades. Research indicates that the photographs are genuine and such a burning gas crater does exist, although concrete and verifiable details about its history and current status are somewhat elusive.

The "Door to Hell", is indeed near the settlement of Darvaza as stated in the message. However, Darvaza is located in Turkmenistan, not Uzbekistan. Both Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are in the same region of central Asia. Turkmenistan has one of the largest gas reserves in the world.

Although, Darvaza, and Turkmenistan itself, are off the major tourist routes and tend to be visited by only the more adventurous travelers, a number of photographs of the burning gas pit have made their way onto the Internet. The photographs included above appear to be part of a series taken by John Bradley during a trip to the region in 2007. The same photographs appear in a post on EnglishRussia.com and on many other websites. Other photographs showing the pit in daylight hours are available on photo-sharing website, flickr. The following YouTube video also offers views of the burning crater:

According to this version of the message, the fire has been burning for thirty five years, implying that the accident described occurred in the 1970's. Some sources put the date of the initial accident back to the 1950's. Most references claim that the burning pit is the remains of a giant underground cavern that collapsed during exploration and was then purposely ignited as a means of burning off escaping gas. However, there appears to be little information available that provides a detailed description of the cavern collapse and the circumstances surrounding it. Writer and blogger Joshua Kucera notes:

One of the coolest things I did in Turkmenistan was to visit the Darvaza burning gas crater. This is in the middle of nowhere, about a three-hour drive through the desert north of Ashgabat.

It's 60 meters in diameter and was apparently created sometime in the 50s when the Soviets were prospecting for natural gas in this area. That’s all the guidebook says, and when we got there I asked my guide for a more complete explanation. So, how exactly was this made, I asked. "It was natural," was the answer. So, I still don’t know. If anyone has any information I’d be very grateful to hear it.

I would likewise be grateful to find out more concrete details about Darvaza's burning pit. If you know of such details, please let me know.

References:
TURKMENISTAN AT A GLANCE
Turkmenistan Gas Field Is One of World's Largest
Turkmenistan - Darvaza - Burning Gas Craters
Darvaz: The Door to Hell
flickr - turkmenistan
Fire! Fire!: Darvaza

from:http://www.hoax-slayer.com/door-to-hell.shtml

Home in A Garbage Truck

Summary:
Email forward claims that attached photographs depict a garbage truck converted into a mobile home (Full commentary below).
Status:
Photographs are genuine but vehicle is not actually a converted garbage truck

Example:(Submitted, October 2008) Subject: This guy lives in a garbage truck!

Not sure if I have sent this one on would'nt mind living in one myself.

This guy lives in a garbage truck....you have to see it!

This is wild!!!!!

He lives in a garbage truck! You have to look at this house!




















Commentary:
According to this email forward, a series of attached images show a garbage truck that has been converted into a very neat and serviceable mobile home. Some commentators have suggested that the images are faked and that the interior photographs do not actually show the truck shown in the exterior shots. Observant doubters have pointed out that the windows clearly visible in the interior shots cannot be seen in those showing the truck's exterior.

The truck shown in the photographs, and other similar such vehicles, do in fact exist. However, in spite of the appearance of the vehicle shown in the photographs it is not actually a converted garbage truck. In fact it is a purpose built mobile home. The vehicles are made by UNICAT, a company based in Europe that now also has an American branch.

The particular model shown in the photographs is designated as the "EX63-HDM / MAN TGA 6x6". The series of photographs included in the email can be viewed on the UNICAT website, along with many other photographs. This model has a roof that lowers snugly over the windows when travelling thus explaining the apparent mystery of the disappearing windows.

UNICATAmericas explains its philosophy as follows:

Our Philosophy: "Explore without boundaries"

There are many RV's that will ably go anywhere where there are roads and even more SUV's, trucks, motorcycles, dune buggies, ATV's, etc. that will take you off-road. UNICAT bridges the gap by providing the highest comfort levels of an RV with a go anywhere ability of off-road vehicles.

UNICAT produces some truly amazing vehicles and the company can fully customize them to suit the needs of individual customers. However, getting yourself in one will set you back a sizable chunk of cash with the Amerigo models starting out at half a million dollars.

References:
UNICAT
UNICATAmericas
UNICAT: EX63-HDM / MAN TGA 6x6 Photos
EX63-HD / MAN M 4x4 Specs
Elgan: Here comes the digital nomad dream vehicle

from:http://www.hoax-slayer.com/garbage-truck-home.shtml

Fidel Castro Sector Zero Virus Warning

Summary:
Email forward written in Spanish warns that clicking links in messages about the death of Fidel Castro can download a virus. It also warns that opening an email attachment with the name 'El Autentico Pez Polla' can launch a virus that can destroy the hard drive on the infected computer (Full commentary below).
Status:
Mingles some truthful information with a variant of an old virus hoax

Example:
(The original version of this message is in Spanish. The Spanish version is included below the following English translation. The text was translated by Hoax-Slayer visitor Ebe, who submitted the original example for analysis in October 2008)

English Translation:

Subject: Urgent – New virus

URGENT!

Be very careful with an email that started last night, about the death of Fidel Castro, where it says it will show pictures and videos…. Taking advantage of our morbid human nature it will invite you to open a link with the advertisement of two important news agencies… Don't do it! If you do, a virus disguised as a legal antivirus will be downloaded, it was just announced.

Please send this email to your friends, family, contacts. In the next days you have to pay attention: do not open an email with an attachment called "The authentic chick fish", no matter who is sending it. This is a virus that will open a port in windows that will "eat" all your C hard drive in your computer. This virus will come from a person you know and you were in this person's contact list.

That's why you have to resend this email to all of your contacts. It's better to receive this email 25 times than to receive the virus and open it. If you receive the email called "The authentic chick fish", even if a friend sent it, don't open it and turn off your computer immediately. It's the worst virus announced by the CNN. A new virus has been discovered recently, that has been classified by Microsoft as the most destructive virus ever. This virus was discovered yesterday by McAfee. And they don't know yet how to fight it. This virus simply destroy the Sector Zero of the Hard Drive, where the crucial information is saved.

SEND THIS EMAIL TO WHOM TO KNOW, COPY THIS TO A NEW EMAIL AND SEND IT TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS. REMEMBER: IF YOU SEND IT TO THEM, ALL OF US WILL BENEFIT.

Original Spanish version:

*Subject:* FW: URGENTEEEEEEEE NUEVO VIRUS

**_URGENTE !!!!!!!_**

TENGAN MUCHO CUIDADO CON UN CORREO QUE EMPEZO ANOCHE , SOBRE UN ANUNCIO DE LA MUERTE DE FIDEL CASTRO DONDE PROMETEN MOSTRAR VIDEOS Y FOTOS SOBRE ESTE ACONTECIMIENTO. .. APROVECHANDO LA POSIBLE MORBOSIDAD DE LOS SERES HUMANOS INVITA A ENTRAR A UN LINK ANUNCIADO POR DOS IMPORTANTES AGENCIAS DE NOTICIAS **/_NOOOOOOOOO LO HAGAS_/** !!!!! AL HACERLO SE TE DESCARGARA UN MALWARE DISFRAZADO DE SOFTWARE LEGAL, ES UN POTENTE VIRUS ,LO ACABAN DE ANUNCIAR.

POR FAVOR, HACER CIRCULAR ESTE AVISO ENTRE AMIGOS, FAMILIA, CONTACTOS!!En los próximos días, deben estar atentos: No abran ningún mensaje con un archivo anexo llamado 'EL AUTENTICO PEZ POLLA', independientemente de quien se lo envíe. Es un virus que 'abre' un puerto especifico de windows que se ' Come ' todo el disco duro C dela computadora. Este virus vendrá de una persona conocida que te tenia en su lista de direcciones. Es por eso que debes enviar este mail a todos tus contactos. Es preferible recibir 25 veces este mensaje que recibir elvirus y abrirlo. Si recibes el correo llamado EL 'AUTENTICO PEZ POLLA',aunque sea enviado por un amigo, no lo abras y apaga tu maquina inmediatamente. Es el peor virus anunciado por CNN.

Un nuevo virus ha sido descubierto recientemente que ha sido clasificado por Microsoft como el virus mas destructivo que haya existido. Este virus fue descubierto ayer por la tarde por McAfee. Y no hay arreglo aun para esta clase de virus. Este virus destruye simplemente el Sector Zero del Disco Duro, donde la información vital de su función es guardada.

ENVIA ESTE E-MAIL A QUIENES CONOZCAS COPIA ESTE CORREO A UNO NUEVO Y MANDALO A TODOS TUS AMIGOS Y RECUERDA : SI LO ENVIAS A ELLOS , NOS BENEFICIAS A TODOS.

Commentary:
This virus warning email claims that messages about the supposed death of Cuban leader Fidel Castro contain links to a malicious website that can download a virus to the user's computer. It also claims that an email with the subject "El Autentico Pez Polla" carries a virus that destroys the hard drive on the infected computer and has been classified as the worst virus ever. According to the warning, the virus will "eat" away the C drive and destroy Sector Zero, "where the crucial information is saved".

©iStockphoto.com/Clayton Hansen Several hoax emails falsely claim that a currently circulating computer virus will destroy "Sector Zero" on the infected computer's hard-drive

This warning combines some true, if somewhat outdated, information with a variant of a completely false virus warning hoax that has been circulating for several years. Unfortunately, warnings such as this can be quite confusing for many recipients because they mingle elements of truth with unhelpful misinformation.

The first part of the message warns recipients to watch out for fake news emails claiming that Fidel Castro has died. This part of the message is basically true. A March 2008 post on the Cuba Journal blog notes:

Castro Emails claiming that ex-Cuban leader Fidel Castro is dead are attempting to spread a worm onto PCs worldwide.

The worm infects PCs by disguising itself as a video of a report bringing news of Castro's death.

"This worm spreads itself in an email message with the subject 'Mala Noticia' (Bad news) and makes reference to the supposed death of Fidel Castro," security firm Panda Labs wrote in its blog.

The supposed video file actually contains a worm and clicking the link in the email takes you to a web page displaying a Spanish report written in 1997 about another Castro death hoax.

However, although this threat was certainly real, it had none of the characteristics of the destructive virus described in the message. The worm was designed to download information stealing trojan components to the infected computer and spread itself via P2P file sharing software. It certainly did not destroy or damage the infected computer's hard drive.

Moreover, the bulk of its distribution occurred earlier in 2008 and there is no information to suggest that is again being distributed at the time of writing. That said, malware distribution tactics are often reused, so Internet users would be wise to be cautious of "news" emails that claim that famous or infamous people have died. A similar tactic was used in 2005 when trojan emails claimed that Osama Bin Laden had been captured and hanged.

Although the references in the email to the Fidel Castro malware messages are valid, the rest of the information is pure nonsense and should not be taken seriously. It is no more than a mutated and translated version of the Olympic Torch virus hoax that has been circulating since 2006. The following example reveals the strong similarity between the two "warnings":

You should be alert during the next days: Do not open any message with an attached filed called "Invitation" regardless of who sent it. It is a virus that opens an Olympic Torch which "burns" the whole hard disc C of your computer. This virus will be received from someone who has your e-mail address in his/her contact list, that is why you should send this e-mail to all your contacts. It is better to receive this message 25 times than to receive the virus and open it.

If you receive a mail called "invitation", though sent by a friend, do not open it and shut down your computer immediately.

This is the worst virus announced by CNN, it has been classified by Microsoft as the most destructive virus ever. This virus was discovered by McAfee yesterday, and there is no repair yet for this kind of virus. This virus simply destroys the Zero Sector of the Hard Disc, where the vital information is kept. SEND THIS E-MAIL TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW, COPY THIS E-MAIL AND SEND IT TO YOUR FRIENDS AND REMEMBER: IF YOU SEND IT TO THEM, YOU WILL BENEFIT ALL OF US

Moreover, both versions are derived from the even earlier Virtual Card For You hoax.

Unfortunately, recipients who attempt to research this warning before forwarding it may be fooled into believing that all of the information is factual because they have found references that seemingly confirm the first portion of it. However, given that the bulk of the information in the message is false and even the information that is factual is now outdated, forwarding the message will serve only to spread misinformation and clutter inboxes.

References:
Fidel Castro death news hoax and virus
W32/FakeDeath.A.worm
Osama Bin Laden Virus Emails
Olympic Torch Invitation Virus Hoax
Virtual Card For You Virus Hoax

from:http://www.hoax-slayer.com/fidel-castro-sector-zero-virus-hoax.shtml

General Cosgrove Radio Interview Hoax

Summary:
Message claims that Australia’s General Peter Cosgrove made a remark about a female interviewer being "equipped to be a prostitute" during an interview on ABC radio (Full commentary below).
Status:
False

Example:(Submitted, January 2008)

For those that don't know him, Major General Peter Cosgrove is an "Australian treasure!"

General Cosgrove was interviewed on the radio recently. You'll love his reply to the lady who interviewed him concerning guns and children. Regardless of how you feel about gun laws you gotta love this! This is one of the best comeback lines of all time. It is a portion of an ABC interview between a female broadcaster and General Cosgrove who was about to sponsor a Boy Scout Troop visiting his military headquarters.

FEMALE INTERVIEWER:
So, General Cosgrove, what things are you going to teach these young boys when they visit your base?

GENERAL COSGROVE:
We're going to teach them climbing, canoeing, archery and shooting.

FEMALE INTERVIEWER:
Shooting! That's a bit irresponsible, isn't it?

GENERAL COSGROVE:
I don't see why, they'll be properly supervised on the rifle range.

FEMALE INTERVIEWER:
Don't you admit that this is a terribly dangerous activity to be teaching children?

GENERAL COSGROVE:
I don't see how. We will be teaching them proper rifle discipline before they even touch a firearm.

FEMALE INTERVIEWER:
But you're equipping them to become violent killers.

GENERAL COSGROVE:
Well, Ma'am, you're equipped to be a prostitute, but you're not one, are you?

The radio went silent and the interview ended.

Commentary:
This message supposedly includes a transcript of an interview featuring General Peter Cosgrove broadcast on an ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) radio program. When taken to task by the female interviewer for plans to allow a group of visiting Scouts to participate in a shooting exercise, General Cosgrove supposedly delivers a caustically sexist comeback line that silences her criticism and terminates the interview.

In reality, no such interview ever took place nor did Cosgrove ever make such a remark.

General Peter Cosgrove

The story is an Australianized version of an earlier US based story that had a certain "General Reinwald" of the US Marines as the one delivering the killer line. The US version (example included below) claimed that General Reinwald made the remark during an interview with a female reporter broadcast on NPR (National Public Radio). However, NPR has denied that any such interview was ever broadcast and there are no records of a General Reinwald serving in the US armed forces. "General Reinwald" is nothing more than a fictional character invented to give an American orientation to an even older version of the story.

Well before the "General Reinwald" story began circulating, a Welsh based version had already been posted online. The Welsh version (example included below) simply featured "Mr. Jones", a leader of a youth club, as the one who delivered the sexist remark and made no mention of Generals or Scouts. In fact, incarnations of this old joke have been posted on innumerable websites, blogs and forums in several countries for a number of years. Some versions mention other youth groups such as the Devil Pups rather than Scouts.

Unlike earlier versions of the joke, the Australian variant names a real person. By falsely claiming that Peter Cosgrove made such an overtly sexist and inflammatory remark, the joke unfairly tarnishes the reputation of a highly respected and honourable man. General Peter Cosgrove is a high-profile, and much admired, member of the Australian community who had a distinguished army career that culminated in his appointment as Chief of the Defence Force in 2002. Cosgrove retired from the army in 2005 but has certainly not disappeared from public life. He played a pivotal role as leader of the aid and recovery effort after Cyclone Larry devastated areas of far north Queensland in March 2006.

US "General Reinwald" Version:

Subject: Greatest comeback line

Marine Corp's General Reinwald was interviewed on the radio the other day and you have to read his reply to the lady who interviewed him concerning guns and children. Regardless of how you feel about gun laws you gotta love this!!!! This is one of the best comeback lines of all time. It is a portion of National Public Radio (NPR) interview between a female broadcaster and US Marine Corps General Reinwald who was about to sponsor a Boy Scout Troop visiting his military installation.

FEMALE INTERVIEWER:
So, General Reinwald, what things are you going to teach these young boys when they visit your base?

GENERAL REINWALD:
We're going to teach them climbing, canoeing, archery, and shooting.

FEMALE INTERVIEWER:
Shooting! That's a bit irresponsible, isn't it?

GENERAL REINWALD:
I don't see why, they'll be properly supervised on the rifle range.

FEMALE INTERVIEWER:
Don't you admit that this is a terribly dangerous activity to be teaching children?

GENERAL REINWALD:
I don't see how. We will be teaching them proper rifle discipline before they even touch a firearm.

FEMALE INTERVIEWER:
But you're equipping them to become violent killers.

GENERAL REINWALD:
Well, Ma'am, you're equipped to be a prostitute, but you're not one, are you?

The radio went silent and the interview ended.

You gotta love the Marines!

Welsh youth club leader version:

Excerpt from a recent live radio interview on one of the regional Welsh stations:

A female newscaster is interviewing the leader of a Youth club:
Interviewer:- So, Mr. Jones, what are you going to do with these children on this adventure holiday?

Jones:- We're going to teach them climbing, abseiling, canoeing, archery, shooting...

Interviewer:- Shooting! That's a bit irresponsible isn't it?

Jones:- I don't see why, they'll be properly supervised on the range.

Interviewer:- Don't you admit that this is a terribly dangerous activity to be teaching children?

Jones:- I don't see how, we will be teaching them proper range discipline before they even touch a firearm.

Interviewer:- But you're equipping them to become violent killers.

Jones:- Well, you're equipped to be a prostitute but you're not one are you?

Needless to say, the interview was terminated almost immediately......

References:
About NPR: The Mythical General Reinwald
General Cosgrove
NPR Interview of USMC General - Email Is Not True
from: http://www.hoax-slayer.com/cosgrove-female-interviewer.shtml