Well, I'm sorry to say that according to McAfee, this is an out and out
hoax, as can be seen at the URL below.

http://vil.mcafee.com/dispVirus.asp?virus_k=99213&

George W F Bell
Techno-Vision Systems Ltd 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Frank Cunningham [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
> Sent: 18 October 2001 16:55
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: anti-worm
> 
> 
> Subject: Neat Trick
> >
> >
> > > I learned a computer trick today that's really
> > ingenious in its
> > > simplicity.
> > > > As you may know, when/if a worm virus gets into
> > your computer it
> > heads
> > > > straight for your email address book and sends
> > itself to everyone in
> >
> > > > there, thus infecting all your friends and
> > associates.
> > > > This trick won't keep the virus from getting
> > into your computer,
> > > > but it will stop it from using your address book
> > to spread further,
> > > > and it will alert you to the fact that the worm
> > has gotten into your
> >
> > > system.
> > > >
> > > > Here's what you do: first, open your address
> > book and click on "new
> > > contact"
> > > > just as you would do if you were adding a new
> > friend to your list of
> >
> > email
> > > > addresses.  In the window where you would type
> > your friend's first
> > name,
> > > > type
> > > > in !000 (that's an exclamation mark followed by
> > 3 zeros).  In the
> > window
> > > > below where it prompts you to enter the new
> > email address, type in
> > > > WormAlert.
> > > > Then complete everything by clicking add, enter,
> > ok, etc.
> > > >
> > > > Now, here's what you've done and why it works:
> > the "name" !000 will
> > be
> > > > placed
> > > > at the top of your address book as entry #1.
> > This will be where the
> >
> > worm
> > > > will start in an effort to send itself to all
> > your friends.  But
> > when it
> > > > tries to send itself to !000, it will be
> > undeliverable because of
> > the
> > > phony
> > > > email address you entered (WormAlert).  If the
> > first attempt fails
> > (which
> > > it
> > > > will because of the phony address), the worm
> > goes
> > > > no further and your friends will not be
> > infected.
> > > > Here's the second great advantage of this
> > method: if an email cannot
> > be
> > > > delivered, you will be notified of this in your
> > InBox almost
> > immediately.
> > > > Hence, if you ever get an email telling you that
> > an email addressed
> > to
> > > > WormAlert could not be delivered, you know right
> > > > away that you have the worm virus in your
> > system. You can then take
> > steps
> > > to
> > > > get rid of it!
> > > > Pretty slick.
> >
> >
> 
> 
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> 
> 


VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List.
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