Think Before You Click: You have received A Card from a Family Member

There is a long list of emails that come to you and sound genuine, but most of the time are spam, malware, virus, etc., sent to you by robots...

To save us from the above, there are alerts, including:

'You have received A Hallmark E-Card' Urban Legends' say: 'You've Received a Postcard' Virus
See More About:

computer virus warnings

e-cards

trojan warnings

E-Card Fraud Alert, says: Hallmark Site

snopes.com: 'Hallmark Postcard from a Family Member' virus -- MIXTURE OF REAL VIRUS WARNING AND HOAX

Solutions / Discussions:

Greetings! Someone Has Sent You an E-Card Virus, Todd R. Weiss, Computerworld pcworld.com

ECard Virus Removal, By Colin Richards @ ezinearticles.com

Security Alert: Virus Emails - You've received A Hallmark E-Card ... @ Carnegie Mellon University

Galewher.com Facebook, Twitter Virus: Koobface Strikes Again

Received an invite to make quick bucks @ Facebook. Facebook security offers help. click here and here Facebook Blog: New Tools to Secure a Compromised Account.

Here is the news: Galewher.com Facebook, Twitter Virus: Koobface Strikes Again

"Apparently, Galewher.com is an extension of the Koobface worm, which has been running amuck for some time now."

More news here: GALEWHER.C0M (GaleWher.com) Facebook Virus

My Instant Messenger and Email Sends Spam Messages to My Buddies...

This is common, nothing new or just found. Although some see it now (see the first item below), many have experienced it for almost years.  And, believing that 'This can be checked by an antivirus software or firewall' is partially correct. You need to be more cautious, careful and most important: ASK your Buddies NOT TO CLICK or try such links (see the links, below):

• Thursday, December 17, 2009: Now computer viruses not only spoil your hard disk but also your dignity
  
• My Yahoo IM sends Spam Messages
  
• How to stop your MSN sending out SPAM messages, its not virus [read here: 'Fact about Spam IM from MSN Friends with Malicious Links']
  
• SPAM Messages On MSN
  
• How to Stop MSN Messenger spam Message
  
• Windows Live (MSN) Messenger Friends’ Messege Spam Phishing URL (Clean ‘Virus’)
  
• Characterizing Botnets from Email Spam
  
• Storm botnet recruiting again

See also: Something related in terms of the spam (but not with msn / yahoo messenger), it is with emails (msn, yahoo, etc.) :

Spam being sent from my personal account = Someone has hacked my e-mail account.

JOIN THE FIGHT AGAINST MSN VIRUSES! Is someone spamming your MSN contacts in your name? + How to avoid becoming a victim?

This site lures you to "verify who blocked you on their msn contact list", stealing your MSN/Hotmail password and therefore your MSN identity @ MSN experts pls, is this a scam site

10 Instant Messaging Safety Tips @ Microsoft Security:
1. Never open pictures, download files, or click links in messages from people you don't know.
2. Be careful when you create a screen name.
3. Create a barrier against unwanted instant messaging.
4. Never provide sensitive personal information, such as your credit card numbers or passwords, in an IM conversation.
5. Block unwanted messages.
6. If you decide to meet a stranger that you know only from IM communication, take appropriate safety precautions.
7. Don't send personal or private instant messages at work.
8. If you use a public computer, do not log on automatically.
9. When you're not available to receive messages, be careful how you display this information to other users.
10. Monitor and limit your children's use of IM.

A Pathfinder To Detect Spam and Forwarded Email Scams

I have compiled a list of sites that help in detecting spam, scam, fake and fraud sites. Are there any more, or I am missing any important one, here:

• 419 BAITER
• Better Business Bureaus in Canada
• Blog of Scams
• Federal Trade Commission's website on spam email
• Forward scam emails to
• Fraud Aid
• Fraud Email Collection
• Fraud Email Gallery
• http://www.snopes.com/
• Indian Consumer Complaints Forum
• Legit or Scam?
• Museum of hoaxes
• Paypal Fake Emails
• PCQandA.com
• Rumor Detectives
• Scam Types dot Com
• Spam Laws
• Spam Scammers
• Stop Spam Email
• Thats Nonsense
• The Universal Seduction
• Tips To Detect Scam Websites
• Truth or Fiction
• Urban Legends

Has any one evaluated these sites?

Golden rule in forwarding Forwarded e-mail or Chain e-mails

Follow the Golden Rule!! Treat others as you would like to be treated - with respect! ... Think it over before forwarding Forwarded e-mail or Chain e-mails.
More here: "Nightscribe's Advice on forwarding e-mail is condensed to a few simple rules" @ Electronic Chain Letters and Mindless Forwards are SPAM!!

In an article, "5 Rules for Forwarding Email" by Judith posted @, E-mail Etiquette Articles and How Tos, you will find the following five rules. Read these also as Golden Rules when you forward emails:

1. Don’t forward anything without editing out all the forwarding >>>> , other email addresses, headers and commentary from all the other forwarders.
2. If you cannot take the time to write a personal comment at the top of your forwarded email to the person you are sending to – then you shouldn’t forward it at all
3. Think carefully about if what you are forwarding will be of value (accurate information — check for hoaxes @ Snopes.com), appreciated (something the recipient needs) or humorous (do they have the same sense of humor as you do) to the person on the other side.
4. It should go without saying (But I have to say it because folks do so anyway.) that forwarding of chain letter; regardless how noble the topic may seem, virus warnings or anything that says “forward to everyone you know” simply shouldn’t be forwarded because in most cases it is plain old B.S. (again check before forwarding @ Snopes.com).
5. If you must forward to more than one person, put your email address in the TO: field and all the others you are sending to in the field to protect their email address from being published to those they do not know.

Victim sends a forward - Posted By MEAW

Note: This is a funny collection, author: unknown (anonymous)

Forwarded Emails – Victim sends a forward, by meaw

A Hilarious Mail from a frustrated victim of chain mails

I wanted to thank all my friends and family who have forwarded chain letters to me in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 and continuing it in 2009 also…….

Because of your kindness:

* I stopped drinking Coca Cola after I found out that it’s good for removing toilet stains.

* I stopped going to the movies for fear of sitting on a needle infected with AIDS.

* Forwarded hundreds of mails but still waiting for FREE DESKTOP, LAPTOP, CAMERA, CELLPHONE etc….

* I smell like a wet dog since I stopped using deodorants because they cause cancer…

* I don’t leave my car in the parking lot or any other place and sometimes I even have to walk about 7 blocks for fear that someone will drug me with a perfume sample and try to rob me.

* I also stopped answering the phone for fear that they may ask me to dial a stupid number and then I get a phone bill with calls to Uganda, Pakistan, Singapore and Tokyo.

* I also stopped drinking anything out of a Can for fear that I will get sick from the rat faeces and urine.

* When I go to parties, I don’t look at any girl, no matter how hot she is, for fear that she will take me to a hotel, drug me, then take my kidneys and leave me taking a nap in a bathtub full of ice.

* I also donated all my savings to the Amy Bruce account. A sick girl that was about to die in the hospital about 7,000 times… (Poor girl! she’s been 7 since 1993…)

* Still open to help somebody from Nigeria who wants to use my account to transfer his uncle’s property of $ 100 million. So much trustworthy.
* I have forwarded 35 emails to 400 people hoping that Ericsson or Nokia will send me latest mobile phones but those models are also obsolete now.
* Made some Hundred wishes before forwarding those Ganesh , Tirupathi Balaji pics etc… Now most of those ‘Wishes’ are already married (to someone else)

NOW IMPORTANT NOTE:

If you do not send this e-mail to at least 11,246 people in the next 10 seconds, a bird will Pee on your head tomorrow by 12:30 PM.

Nothing has happened till now…………………. but who knows. So please forward.

Forwarded, But no Luck: It's your Karma--they say in the spiritual lingo!!!

Here is Wisdom of the Wise.
The following information posted by Linn Barringer @ PLEASE don't forward hoax virus warnings:

"And if you expected that "some good luck will befall you if you pass it it on..." think on...

I did what you told me...
I sent the email to 10 people, like you said.
I'm still waiting for that miracle to happen..."

Continue reading

Making Etiquette Easy: To Forward or not to Forward

Do and Don't; To click or not to click; To do it with courtesy or just blunt way; all the above requires a guiding light. An expert in strategic communications, Susan K. Medina, shares her wisdom:

"In a time where digital junk mail can rival the tangible pieces in your mailbox, the practice of clicking ‘forward’ has become the norm. No matter how funny the jokes are or how pressing the matter seems to be, it’s important to ask, “Do I really want to forward this email?” Here are a few things to keep in mind:

If the contents of the email are in any way libelous, offensive, racist, obscene, or inappropriate, your mouse should be racing for the ‘delete’ button. It is much better to verbalize what you heard later than to send it—in writing—in a public format for both obvious professional and legal reasons."

Continue reading the experiences of the wise

LinkedIn – To Forward or Not to Forward an Introduction?

Another type of interesting emails. A decision making point (some may say who cares). The Question is: To accept, or deny the next click? You know the sender (causally, personally, colleague, choices, interests, attitude, personality) / You know the receiver (causally, personally, colleague, choices, interests, attitude, personality) ? Here is a wise word from a Linkedin Expert:

But I’ve just come to a conclusion: No introductions anymore. At least no introductions that are initiated by others. Why such a hard stance? Because when I make introductions, I make them strategically, based on a win-win scenario. I decide that X needs to meet Y because it will be great for both of them. But when someone requests an introduction, chances are they’re trying to sell something to the person they want to meet – to my contact – and that makes me a conduit of SPAM. Yes, spam… and you know how I feel about that. continue reading

Forwarded e-mails by category - Way to Organize Email Overload

Believe it or not forwarded emails (by friends, etc., and by robots) are not just random, they can most probably fall into some categories (and you can make your own, as well), for example:
>>Friendly fires:

Jokes -- cheap, tragic, comic, satire, sensitive, racial, humorous, etc.

Funny thoughts -- kiddish, adult, immature, political, etc.

Educational / informative -- work related, stress related, occupational, etc

Spiritual / Religious -- evangelical, inspirational, motivational, emotional, etc.

Pics / Comics / Cartoons

News - local, regional, global, historic

Audio / Videos / Multimedia

Much more

>>E-mails forwarded by robots (auto mailers or machines), reach your in-box--like it or not, want it or not, even if you block them they manage their route:

Scam emails

spam e-mails trying to sell you the usual crap like fake Viagra, Cialis, pecker enlargement pills, etc.
&nbps;&nbps;&nbps;

phishing e-mails (which are also scams that you don't want), and in rare cases, an attachment containing a virus or a trojan horse. Don't click on any links or open any attachments in any of the e-mails you receive in your catcher account.
&nbps;&nbps;&nbps;

more spam / scam / chain emails, bulk email, here: http://www.419baiter.com

>>Chain E-Mails and Unnecessary Bulk Mail: Stop the Insanity

>>Note: Bottomline, you still have the options: Delete / mark the sender as spam / forward at ease

Chain emails - send it now to every one you love....

Some standard statements:

If you need God to open some doors for you...send this on.

This is without a doubt one of the nicest good luck forwards I have received. Hope it works for you - - and me!

Do not keep this message.

"Chain e-mails are those that, in the body or subject of the message, asks the recipient to forward the e-mail on to multiple people. Many chain letter e-mails are hoaxes and are often considered to be a security and privacy risk. If the message is forwarded on by a person, it will usually show the names and e-mail addresses of everyone you have sent it to, and possibly the addresses of everyone the last person (from which you received it) also sent it to. The risk is that you do not know if an unscrupulous or malicious person will receive the e-mail with all the e-mail addresses, and what they might choose to do with that list. Many consider chain e-mail to be a type of spam."  source: webopedia.com

• Chain Letter Examples of Email Spam
  
• Perfect Example of a Chain-Email « Simon & Schuster Forums
  

Chronology of Time Pass!!

Forward, backward or just delete. All of the above is sometimes taken as pass time, time pass, etc.
Chronology of Time Pass!! @ Vijay Padiyar's blog. source: projectsidewalk.com.


A neat flowchart that pretty much explains what we net addicts do when there's nothing useful to do but we have lots of time on our hands!

Unfortunately, in this generation, we just like to stay online for the sake of it, even if there's nothing constructive to be done.

FWD: Good Luck: the Choice--they say in the spiritual lingo--is yours!!!

Info courtesy: Bee C R

The Buddha of Wealth

Whoever receives this will receive an abundance of
unexpected money or some very good news

Forward this to 20 people within 20 minutes of receiving this. continue your try, until you succeed

continue reading here or here and when you are the luckiest (by way of receiving good news, wealth, treasures, etc. etc.,) share your experiences, please.

Really: "Google Home Income that saved his life?" - - Push-Pull Marketing

Note: My google chat messenger today popped up (as if sent by a buddy--and not by a stranger; not even an anonymous chatter) with a link to the following article:

Millions of people without jobs, but no worries, working at home is the way to go.
"In a short time Scott Richardson was able to make it with a system called "Google Home Income" that saved his life...."

And, I googled to see what is all this about. I found the following:

Google Home Income Scam Hoax Sites Designed to Steal Money From People Wanting to Make Money Online...

Bottomline: snopes.com: Google 'Work from Home' Scam

An Awesome Simple Effective Viral Email Idea Vs. Pass it on

Note: Here are extracts from two posts by experts in the field of viral marketing.
Good for a reflection: To Forward with your .02 cent or just forget it!!!

An Awesome Simple Effective Viral Email Idea:

I read a great email a while back. It gave an awesome idea of how to take advantage of those certain emails that we all get 20 a day of, mostly jokes.

You know when you scroll down to the bottom of some emails, you’ll often see a link to HotMail, Yahoo or whoever the webmail provider is? Basically any free email provider will have their ad at the bottom of outgoing emails, right?

Wouldn’t it be cool to have your link there?

It would be fantastic! continue reading

Pass it on:

Without wanting to get all Kant about this, I think there’s only one thing wrong with viral marketing, and that is that it doesn’t exist.

I’m not saying that the “viral effect” doesn’t exist. It’s everywhere. The growth of facebook is quite phenomenal for instance. I’m just saying this is not something you put on your marketing schedules. It’s not something where you can add a perceived difference (the monkey falling out of the tree being funny) to what you’re actually marketing.

Just because a phenomnen can be percieved does not necessarily mean that it can (or should) be turned into a type of marketing which is appropriate for any brand. continue reading

Ask a Flowchart: To Forward or Not to Forward?

By Lore Sjöberg 02.23.09 WIRED MAGAZINE: 17.03

Before You Forward, Read This Flowchart

Some interesting comments on this flowchart at digg.com:

So, I'm only allowed to forward costume-based bestiality?

FWD EMAIL ---------> DEL

Wonder who did the first flow-chart gag? That person definitely deserves recognition

Upgraded Flowchart

Well, I have this bookmarked. I think it'll save me lots of replies that say, "Take me off your mailing list! Who are you, anyway?"

Yeah, and it's ***** awesome so quit forwarding me those motivational posters and stupid jokes where I have to scroll way down to get to the punchline!

Instant Noodles Warning

URBAN LEGEND says this is online since 2000: status = FALSE

Subject: Fwd: Avoid eating Maggie, Its a Cancerous food product... !!!

(Note: Notice the Pork Awareness section, may help you in explaining our Non-Muslim brothers 'why Pork is Haraam in our religion')

INSTANT NOODLES

Dear instant noodle lovers,
Make sure you break for at least 3 days after one session of instant noodles before you eat your next packet! Please read the info shared to me by a doctor. My family stopped eating instant noodles more than 5 years ago after hearing about the wax coating the noodles - the wax is not just in the Styrofoam containers but it coats the noodles. This is why the instant noodles do not stick to each other when cooking.

If one were to examine the ordinary Chinese yellow noodles in the market, one will notice that, in their uncooked state the noodles are oily. This layer of oil prevents the noodles from sticking together.

Wanton noodles in their uncooked state have been dusted with flour to prevent them sticking together. When the hawker cooks the noodles, notice he cooks them in hot water and then rinses them in cold water before cooking them in hot water again. This process is repeated several times before the noodles are ready to be served. The cooking and rinsing process prevents noodles from sticking together.

The hawker then "lowers the noodles in oil and sauce to prevent the noodles from sticking if they are to be served dry. Cooking instructions for spaghetti require oil or butter to be added in the water when boiling the spaghetti to prevent the pasta from sticking together. Otherwise, one gets a big clump of spaghetti!

There was an SBC (now TCS) actor some years ago, who at a busy time of his career had no time to cook, resorted to eating instant noodles everyday. He got cancer later on. His doctor told him about the wax in instant noodles. The doctor told him that our body will need up to 2 days to clear the wax. There was also an SIA steward who after moving out from his mother's house into his own house, did not cook but ate instant noodles almost every meal. He had cancer, and has since died from it.

Nowadays the instant noodles are referred as " cancer noodles ".

continue reading: CANCEROUS FOODS / PRODUCTS Instant Noodles: Humsurfer

A wonderful advice from the University of Kansas Hospital to prevent H1N1

Urban legend says this is half truth

The forwarded email:

1. Gargle twice a day with warm salt water or Listerine. *H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don't underestimate this simple, inexpensive, and powerful preventative method.

2. Blow the nose hard once a day and swab both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water. This is very effective in bringing down viral population.

3. Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamins C and D. If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.

4. Drink as much of warm liquids (tea, coffee, etc) as you can. Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.

Why this blog?

People send and wish to spread what they like! But, do you appreciate / hate /  keep up the marathon (forward it to your friends) or simply delete forwarded emails.

Attention, says a friend's email:
COPY THIS E-MAIL, AND SEND IT TO YOUR FRIENDS.
REMEMBER: IF YOU SEND IT TO THEM, YOU WILL BENEFIT ALL OF US

There is no one answer for all the above options. What you do find on the web are discussions / suggestions about the following:

• To-forward or not-to-forward
  
• Do not forward emails
  


• Email 'shareworthiness' under the spotlight


• You tell me: Why do people forward those emails
  
• Top 11 Reasons You Shouldn't Forward Me That Email
  

Note: You will find in this blog forwarded emails + (wherever applicable) this blog will digg responses from forums, such as, urgan legned / snopes, etc.