Virtual Card For You
Originally Spotted 15/1/01

E-Mail Message Received (please note different mails may differ slightly)

PLEASE ADVISE EVERYONE YOU KNOW

Subject: A new virus has just been discovered that has been classified by Microsoft ( www.microsoft.com ) and by McAfee (www.mcafee.com ) as the most destructive ever! This virus was discovered yesterday afternoon by McAfee and no vaccine has yet been developed. This virus simply destroys Sector Zero from the hard disk, where vital information for its functioning are stored. This virus acts in the following manner: It sends itself automatically to all contacts on your list with the title "A Virtual Card for You". As soon as the supposed virtual card is opened, the computer freezes so that the user has to reboot. When the ctrl+alt+del keys or the reset button are pressed, the virus destroys Sector Zero, thus permanently destroying the hard disk. Yesterday in just a few hours this virus caused panic in New York, according to news broadcast by CNN (www.cnn.com ). This alert was received by an employee of Microsoft itself. So don't open any mails with subject "A Virtual Card for You". As soon as you get the mail, delete it. Please pass on this mail to everyone you know.

A different e-mail but the same threat was also spotted on 18/1/00

ANOTHER VIRUS ALERT_URGENT

You may have heard of virtual cards - they can be fun and nice to receive. However, some nasty piece of work has latched on to this and has produced a virus which is sent via email with the subject line "A virtual card for you" - at present the anti-virus people are working on a solution but it will not be caught or spotted by scanning.
DO NOT OPEN any such email - either speak to me or delete it.
It is timely to remind everyone that all electronic materials coming into the building by disc, email or CD must be virus checked if we are to protect our livelihoods.
Also, we do our best to back up client files and other data from the servers on a regular basis, but if you only save material to your own machine (C drive) we have no such protection - and only you know the commercial value of your vital files. It is known for computer discs to fail suddenly (as Phil Bell recently found out and before him, Sam and Lindsay) or for the machines to be stolen/wrecked during break-ins. If you have confidential files to deal with, I can help to provide secure areas.

Thank you
Richard

Diagnosis

The message is a fake. Please do not forward this and delete it from your mailbox.