Geeks Undercover

Obama Acceptance Speech Trojan Horse Warning

Summary:
Message warns recipients not to open an email with the subject "Obama Acceptance Speech" because it carries a password stealing Trojan horse (Full commentary below).

Status:
Real Trojan horse, but warning is exaggerated, misleading and outdated

Example:(Submitted, January 2009)

Subject: FW: Very, Very, Urgent, please read and pass on

Confirmed with Symantec

THERE IS AN EMAIL WITH SUBJECT LINE OBAMA ACCEPTANCE SPEECH FLOATING AROUND WITH A Trojan HORSE ATTACHMENT.

DO NOT OPEN FOR ANY REASON!!! DELETE IMMEDIATELY. THE Trojan STEALS ALL PASSWORDS AND USER IDS!!!

SPREAD THE WORD TO EVERYONE ON YOUR EMAIL LIST.

THANKS.

Animal Rescue Site Email Forward

Summary:
Email forward claims that you can help provide food for abused and neglected animals simply by clicking a button on the Animal Rescue Site (Full commentary below).

Status:
True

Example:(Submitted, December 2008)

Subject: FW: help homeless animals for free

PLEASE DO THIS 'FREE' GOOD DEED - Animal Rescue:

Hi, all you animal lovers. This is pretty simple... Please tell ten friends to tell ten today! The Animal Rescue Site is having trouble getting enough people to click on it daily to meet their quota of getting free food donated every day to abused and neglected animals.

It takes less than a minute (How about 20 seconds) to go to their site and click on the purple box that says "Click here to Give - It's Free!" You don't have to fill anything out, and it's just counting clicks.

This doesn't cost you a thing. Their corporate sponsors/advertisers use the number of daily visits to donate food to abandoned/neglected animals in exchange for advertising. Here's the web site! Pass it along to people you know.

http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/

PLEASE TELL 10 FRIENDS !!!

Plastic Containers - Chasing Arrows Symbol Reveals Plastic's Chemical Makeup

Summary:
Email forward explains how to decode the triangular "chasing arrows" symbol on plastic containers (Full commentary below).

Status:
Coding information is factual - Health warnings are debatable

Example:(Submitted, February 2009)

Subject: FW: Health knowledges-Recycle Plastic bottle Grade

Did you ever drink from a plastic bottle and see a triangle symbol on the bottom with a number inside?

Plastic Code 1 and 2

Do you know what the number stands for?
Did you guess that it's just for recycling?
Then you are WRONG!!!!!!
THE NUMBER TELLS YOU THE CHEMICAL MAKE UP OF THE PLASTIC.....
1) Polyethylene terephalate (PET)
2) High density polyethylene (HDPE)
3) Unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (UPVC) or Plasticised polyvinyl chloride (PPVC)
4) Low density polyethylene LDPE
5) Polypropylene (PP)
6) Polystyrene (PS) or Expandable polystyrene (EPS)
7) Other, including nylon and acrylic

What you aren't told is that many of the plastics used are toxic and the chemicals used to create a plastic can leach out of the plastic and into the food / drink.

Think about it, how many times have you or a friend said "I don't like this, it taste like the plastic bottle ..... "
THAT'S BECAUSE YOU ARE TASTING THE PLASTIC

The WORST ONES are Nos: 3, 6, and 7 !!!
DO NOT USE THESE NUMBERS if stated at the bottom of the bottle) !!!

Check out this chart that breaks down the plastic, its uses and chemical makeup (I find #7 a little scary)
http://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/environmentinhk/waste/guide_ref/guide_plascod3.html

Plastic Code Chart

Photos of Koala Escaping Heatwave

Summary:
Email claims that attached photographs show a wild koala that came inside a back porch to seek relief from a heatwave that struck southern Australia in early 2009 (Full commentary below).

Status:
True

Example:(Submitted, February 2009)

Version One:

Subject: FW: Heatwave

In Victoria the temperature has been above 44 degrees all week and they are forecasting another week of 40+ temperatures. Power is failing, trains have stopped running because tracks are buckling under the heat . It's just scorching and it seems that the people are not the only ones suffering.

Check out these photos of a little Koala which just walked onto a back porch looking for a bit of heat relief. The woman filled up a bucket for it and this is what happened!

Version Two:

Subject: FW: Heat

A guy at work lives at Maude. His wife sent him these photos of a little Koala which just walked into the back porch looking for a bit of heat relief. She filled up a bucket and this is what happened!

Coconut Crab Photographs

Summary:
Email claims that attached photographs depict a very large type of crab called the Coconut Crab because of its ability to crack coconuts with its strong claws (Full commentary below).

Status:
True

Example:(Submitted, February 2009)

Subject: LIKE COCONUTS?

Our friends in Australia sent us a picture of a Coconut Crab. This is pretty interesting.... Coconut Crab (Birgus latro) is the largest terrestrial arthropod in the world. It is known for its ability to crack coconuts with its strong pincers in order to eat the contents.

It is sometimes called the robber crab because some coconut crabs are rumored to steal shiny items such as pots and silverware from houses and tents.

The second photo gives you a good idea of how large these crabs are - a coconut crab is seeking food from a black trashcan.

Mass Migration of Rays

Summary:
Email forward claims that attached photographs show a mass migration of rays in the Gulf of Mexico (Full commentary below).

Status:
True

Example:(Submitted, March 2009)

Subject: FW: Stingray Migration, Gulf Of Mexico

Mass Migration of Golden Cow-nose rays

Looking like giant leaves floating in the sea, thousands of Golden Rays are seen here gathering off the coast of Mexico . The spectacular scene was captured as the magnificent creatures made one of their biannual mass migrations to more agreeable waters.

Gliding silently beneath the waves, they turned vast areas of blue water to gold off the northern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula. Sandra Critelli, an amateur photographer, stumbled across the phenomenon while looking for whale sharks. She said: 'It was an unreal image, very difficult to describe. The surface of the water was covered by warm and different shades of gold and looked like a bed of autumn leaves gently moved by the wind.

Tear Drop Monument - Russian Gift to the United States

Summary:
Email claims that attached photographs show a monument donated by Russia as a memorial for the victims of 9/11 (Full commentary below).

Status:
True

Example:(Submitted, March 2009)

Subject: Fw: Did anyone hear about this??? I didn't!

Did anyone hear about this??? I didn't! Russian gift to the U.S.

I had never heard of this before receiving an e-mail. Wonder why the press didn't report it? > This is the "TEAR DROP" made and installed by the Russians to honor those who died in 9 11 and a statement against terrorism. It is very impressive. The tear drop is lined up with the Statue of Liberty.

Gift from the people of Russia......."Monument to the struggle against world terrorism, artist Zurab Tesereteii" ....it is an impressive memorial and statement against terrorism. The walkway is made of stones.

Names of the persons killed on 9 11 are inscribed on the base. The base like the Vietnam Memorial wall. It was a cold and windy day but well worth the drive to see. It is down in the shipping yards across from "The Lady".