AOL4FREE Hoax or What?

Content

AOL4FREE Hoax or What?

Type: Hoax
SubType: E-mail
Discovery Date: 03/01/1999
Length
Minimum DAT: N/A ( )
Updated DAT: N/A ( )
Minimum Engine: 5.1.00
Description Added: 01/20/2000
Description Modified: 01/20/2000 12:00 AM (PT)

Risk Assessment

Corporate User: N/A
Home User: N/A

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Characteristics

AVERT HOAX Notice!!

McAfee AVERT Labs would like to inform you of an email HOAX.

The AOL4FREE "virus" which is described as below is a hoax. However since the emergence of the virus hoax, a Trojan Horse using the file-name in the hoax message has been reported. This underscores the importance of treating any unexpected file attachments with caution, rather than relying on specific file-names to "identify" suspicious files.

This email message is just a HOAX, currently we know of no other message that the user will receive about the HOAX as the initial email states. AVERT has not received any report of a user's hard drive being erased for opening the email.

We are advising users who receive the email to delete it and DO NOT pass it on as this is how an email HOAX propagates.

Below is the actual text from the message that may be received via email.

Subject: E-MAIL VIRUS!!!!! -- THIS IS NOT A JOKE!!!!!!

Anyone who receives this must send it to as many people as you can. It is essential that this problem be reconciled as soon as possible.

A few hours ago, someone opened an E-mail that had the subject heading of "AOL4FREE.COM".

Within seconds of opening it, a window appeared and began to display all his files that were being deleted. He immediately shut down his computer, but it was too late. This virus wiped him out. It ate the Anti-Virus Software that comes with the Windows '95 Program along with F-Prot AVS. Neither was able to detect it.

Please be careful and send this to as many people as possible, so maybe this new virus can be eliminated.

DON'T OPEN E-MAIL NOTING "AOL4FREE"

VIRUS ALERT!!!

Be aware that there are letters going around that you have won free Aol until 1998....or AOL 4 free...... PLEASE DELETE...... contains a virus that will wipe out your harddrive...... after you download and it executes.....

SUBJECT AREA OF EMAIL....... CONGRATULATIONS! You are a WINNER!

SUBJECT AREA OF EMAIL.......AOL 4 Free - Get AOL For Free

SENDERS................................Matthews27 or VPVVPPVVP

WARN YOUR FRIENDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Again, if you receive this email delete it and DO NOT pass it on.
McAfee AVERT

Symptoms

Method of Infection

Removal

-

Variants

Variants

N/A

All Information

Overview -

Characteristics

Characteristics -

AVERT HOAX Notice!!

McAfee AVERT Labs would like to inform you of an email HOAX.

The AOL4FREE "virus" which is described as below is a hoax. However since the emergence of the virus hoax, a Trojan Horse using the file-name in the hoax message has been reported. This underscores the importance of treating any unexpected file attachments with caution, rather than relying on specific file-names to "identify" suspicious files.

This email message is just a HOAX, currently we know of no other message that the user will receive about the HOAX as the initial email states. AVERT has not received any report of a user's hard drive being erased for opening the email.

We are advising users who receive the email to delete it and DO NOT pass it on as this is how an email HOAX propagates.
Below is the actual text from the message that may be received via email.
Subject: E-MAIL VIRUS!!!!! -- THIS IS NOT A JOKE!!!!!! Anyone who receives this must send it to as many people as you can. It is essential that this problem be reconciled as soon as possible. A few hours ago, someone opened an E-mail that had the subject heading of "AOL4FREE.COM". Within seconds of opening it, a window appeared and began to display all his files that were being deleted. He immediately shut down his computer, but it was too late. This virus wiped him out. It ate the Anti-Virus Software that comes with the Windows '95 Program along with F-Prot AVS. Neither was able to detect it. Please be careful and send this to as many people as possible, so maybe this new virus can be eliminated. DON'T OPEN E-MAIL NOTING "AOL4FREE" VIRUS ALERT!!! Be aware that there are letters going around that you have won free Aol until 1998....or AOL 4 free...... PLEASE DELETE...... contains a virus that will wipe out your harddrive...... after you download and it executes..... SUBJECT AREA OF EMAIL....... CONGRATULATIONS! You are a WINNER! SUBJECT AREA OF EMAIL.......AOL 4 Free - Get AOL For Free SENDERS................................Matthews27 or VPVVPPVVP WARN YOUR FRIENDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Again, if you receive this email delete it and DO NOT pass it on.
McAfee AVERT

Symptoms

Symptoms -

Method of Infection

Method of Infection -

Removal -

Removal -

-

Variants

Variants -

N/A

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