Here's a useful hint for the members of the JCCC: When you receive a virus alert via e-mail, there are web sites you can go to find out if they are real or hoaxes. Here are two such places:
  - http://hoaxbusters.ciac.org/
  - http://hoaxbusters.org/

Much more often than not, when you receive an e-mail warning you about a virus and telling you to tell all your friends, it is a hoax. When in doubt, check one of the sites listed above.

-- Dave Parrish (dparrish@rvi.net), April 17, 2001

Answers

And why do people start these "hoax" rumors about deadly viruses, do you suppose? Are they trying to shut down the internet by overloading it with junk email (as some believe is the reason there are so many chain letters going around.)

Or what?

Malcolm Drake

-- jumpoff joe (jumpoff@echoweb.net), April 18, 2001.