Internet ScamBusters

By Audri and Jim Lanford, NETrageous Inc.
Copyright (c) 1999 NETrageous Inc.

Issue #35  December 20, 1999


Before we get started, we wanted to apologize for the gap in
sending you Internet ScamBusters.  We've been absolutely swamped
launching a new free ezine (AskNETrageous.com ), putting together
the Internet Marketing Super Summit (Abraham-NETrageous.com), and
starting an affiliate program for our business
http://www.asknetrageous.com/affiliates/

Unfortunately, since ScamBusters is our "labor of love" and a
free public service we provide, when we get as busy as we've been,
it occasionally gets neglected.  Sorry.

However, we've got a great issue for you. We've found some
important ScamBusters Snippets we think you should know about.

The big news has been about computer viruses - both real viruses
and hoaxes.  You'll find some highlights below.  You'll also
discover some news on spam (which is fascinating), and some
additional scam resources to check out.  We end the year on a
lighter note with some Y2K humor.

Speaking of Y2K, perhaps the most important thing you can do to
prepare is to back up everything at the end of the year.  That
way, if you do have a problem, you'll have good back ups you can
use to help you restore everything.  We're going to back up
everything our last work day of the year - we suggest you do the
same.  And don't forget to get the Y2K patches for your
computers.

One more thing: please don't spam the content of Internet
ScamBusters or our URL.  We are pioneers against spam and we
really don't want Internet ScamBusters to be spammed.  Thanks.


OK, let's get startedS

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Internet ScamBusters Snippets
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

~~~
Real Viruses

New Worm - W32/Mypics

There is an important new real virus alert.  You can read about
it at http://news.excite.com/news/zd/991203/12/new-worm-packs
Please check this out now.  This one could really cause havoc.

---
First Self-Updating Virus Reported

W95.Babylonia pretends to be a Y2K fix, but it could update
itself by downloading malicious code onto your PC.  Read more at
http://www.zdnet.com/zdtv/cybercrime/news/story/0,3700,2405208,00.html

---
Bubbleboy email virus

Bubbleboy is the first virus that can infect your system if you
simply open an email.  This virus does its potential damage
because of the security holes in ActiveX.

*You're only susceptible if you use Microsoft Outlook or Outlook
Express.*

Microsoft has posted a fix for the security hole targeted by
Bubbleboy and similar viruses at
http://www.microsoft.com/security/bulletins/ms99-032.asp

---
Y2K Virus "Y2Kcount.exe"

A real trojan horse that has been circulating for about 2 months
is Y2Kcount.exe.  This one is supposedly emailed by Microsoft
and has been sent to Microsoft customers.  Don't open the
attachment.
The return address is:
From: [log in to unmask]
The subject is
Subject: Microsoft Announcement.

To learn more visit
http://www.zdnet.com/intweek/stories/news/0,4164,1017257,00.html

Microsoft's response is posted at
http://www.microsoft.com/y2k/hoax/hoax2.htm


~~~
Virus Hoaxes

"Elf Bowling"
It's a hoax. You can read more about it at:
http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/y2kgame.hoax.html
and compare the size of the program you receive with the actual
size of the original program to verify authenticity.

---
For info on various examples of recent Microsoft hoaxes, see
http://www.snopes.com/spoons/faxlore/billgate.htm

---
An excellent resource for finding out if viruses are real or
hoaxes is Symantec's "Virus Encyclopedia" at
http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/hoax.html

---
Another good resource for finding out whether or not viruses are
real is
http://urbanlegends.about.com/culture/urbanlegends/msubvir.htm


~~~
Internet ScamBusters in the News

You can find nice mentions of Internet ScamBusters in the
December 1999 issues of Entrepreneur magazine and
PC Computing.

There is also a nice review in TechSightings at
http://www.techsightings.com/cgi-bin/ts_review.pl?453


~~~
Spam News from the Third Spam Roundtable

Joseph Jobst wrote a very interesting article about spam in this
week's issue of GIM - Global Internet Marketing News.

Here's a short quote that includes two fascinating - but
depressing - statistics:

"Last month, system administrators from all over the US met in
California at the Third Spam Roundtable to discuss the growing
SPAM problem. The results were not encouraging. Between 15% and
30%(!) of the e-mail that America Online receives is spam. Most
large Internet service providers have four to six people
dedicated to combating the problem; unsolicited commercial e-mail
costs these companies roughly $1 million each month, which
translates to $1 to $2 per subscriber per month."

30% - Wow!  Actually, that's probably not far off the mark.  And
the idea that we are paying $1 to $2 per subscriber per month
certainly contradicts the ridiculous argument by spammers that
"spam doesn't cost anything, so what's the big deal?"  We don't
know anyone willing to pay $1 to $2 a month for their spam.

~~~
Some Other Useful Resources

How to Avoid Investment Scams
http://www.sec.gov/consumer/cyberfr.htm

The (Anti) Fraud Help & Info Center
http://linz1.net/fraud.html

Business Opportunity Scams
http://www.ftc.gov/bizop/

Top 10 List of Online Investment Fraud
http://linz1.net/fraud19.html

~~~
Some fun Y2K humor

Have a look at this site for the latest in office productivity
software and hardware.  100% Y2K compliant - and guaranteed.  No
office or home should be without this group of items.  Guaranteed
satisfaction.

http://members.xoom.com/joelzahn/Office2000/

~~~
Finally, we'd like to wish you a very happy, healthy, and
prosperous holiday season and New Year.

---------  [ Please Support our Sponsor - That's Us! ]  ---------

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---
Ask NETrageous provides free answers to your e-commerce and
Internet marketing questions by our "NETrageous e-commerce Guest
Pundits", who are some of the best Internet marketers on the
planet.  Visit http://www.asknetrageous.com/

---
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----------- [ End of Sponsor Messages ] -----------

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