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DebbieD Dec 13, 2005

I've just read this on Dalesfans (a forum for lovers of the Dales pony breed), and this is a pretty serious warning, so I thought I would copy/paste it onto here for my new friends.

Please Be Extremely Careful especially if using internet mail
such as Yahoo, Hotmail, AOL and so on.   
This information arrived this morning direct from both Microsoft and Norton.
Please send it to everybody you know who has access to the Internet.
You may receive an apparently harmless email with a Power Point presentation "Life is beautiful".  If you receive it DO NOT OPEN THE
FILE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, and delete it immediately.  If you open this file, a message
will appear on your screen saying "It is too late now, your life is no
longer beautiful".  Subsequently you will LOSE EVERYTING IN YOUR PC and the
person who sent it to you will gain access to your name, e-mail and
password.  This is a new virus which started to circulate
on Saturday afternoon.   
AOL has already confirmed the severity, and the antivirus
software's are not capable of destroying it.   
The virus has been created by
a hacker who calles himself "life
owner".
PLEASE SEND A COPY OF THIS EMAIL TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS AND
ASK THEM TO PASS IT ON IMMEDIATELY.

Do be careful everyone...how awful to lose everything on your computer!!!! 

Helena Dec 13, 2005

Aah, this must be the virus my dad was trying to tell me about. I kept telling him I never open anything remotely suspicious but he kept insisting that this was a bad one, worse than that others....

Thanks Debbie!

DebbieD Dec 13, 2005

I'm glad I was warned....not that I'd read anything like that unless it was sent by a friend, but what if this thing hijacks my FRIEND'S email, and sends it out under their name????  Eeeek!   

I also fret because I have to open email for my business.  Its always a worry if its a legitmate question, or something more sinister.

Helena Dec 13, 2005

There's a way to peek in your e-mails before you open them --- right click on the e-mail, choose 'properties' and then click on the details tab. There's a 'message source' button that opens another window, and you can read the text in this without (as far as I know) opening the e-mail in the usual sense.....

I always do this for dodgy e-mails, and as soon as I see the word viagra it goes straight in the bin     

~~~

I just found a link that describes this in more detail, and gives a couple more tips: http://surfthenetsafely.com/reademailsafely.htm

DebbieD Dec 13, 2005

REALLY?????  I never knew that!!  Oh thank you Helena  :hug:  I'm gonna try that on the next suspicous looking email I get....but not one that's labelled "Life is beautiful"

Estelle Dec 13, 2005

This is a hoax started in 2002 please take a look at this report from Norton antivirus
http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/d … .hoax.html

Daphne Dec 13, 2005

Estelle - you just beat me to it!

Guys, it's so important to confirm such emails before 'spreading' them! It's good to be cautious in this computer age but not get overly so or make others anxious until you know the facts. I've done this myself in the past and after being set straight a couple of times I learned to check these emails out to see if they were legit before passing on.

The easiest way to research a potential virus's authenticity is to go to symantec.com, us.mcafee.com or simply Google the name of the virus.

Thanks for looking out for us though, Debbie as I know your intentions were very sincere!

:hug:  Daphne

Helena Dec 13, 2005

Gosh, if the viruses don't get you then the hoaxes will!!! 

Estelle Dec 13, 2005

Thanks for posting though Debie its better to be too cautios than not careful enough 

DebbieD Dec 14, 2005

:redface: Gosh I'm so so sorry everyone!!  :redface:  I try very hard not to be a panic monger.  So I sincerely apologize for this. 

I do worry about suspicious emails sending viruses along.  We had a computer many years back ('98) that was infected through a friend's forwarded email  :twisted: .  The wretched thing finally killed our computer    and I've been a touch paranoid ever since. 

Thank you so much for the link and for telling me how to look up for information on any current viruses!!  ...I think I need to go hug a teddy now     :hug:

I Love Teddies Dec 14, 2005

Another good website to check for hoaxes is http://www.snopes.com 
You can check for things on any subject. 

Debbie, thanks for letting us know anyway.  We appreciate it.   

Roxanne Dec 14, 2005

Debbie,
I totally appreciate the warning, even if it was a hoax.    There is sooooo much cr_p going on right now! We can never be to safe. I have to say, I am so sick of the junk mail that I have received from so called "ebay buyers" when I dont even have a thing listed. Also from paypal and ebay saying to update my information.
Anyhow, thanks again Deb  :hug:

Daphne Dec 14, 2005

Chrissie - thanks for that link to snopes... I couldn't remember it for the life of me!!!