Should I forward virus warnings

Virus Warnings and Hoaxes

The answer to this question is simple – No.

Time and again, large-scale warnings about supposed viruses circulate. And again and again, unsuspecting users fall for them and forward these warnings to hundreds of their mail contacts.

Experts call these warnings Hoax (in English roughly prank or trick). This term refers to virus warnings that circulate on a large scale as mail chain letters and, for example, contain the following text:

"Virus WOBBLER arrives by mail with subject CALIFORNIA"

IBM and AOL have reported that this virus is practically “deadly,” worse than the MELISSA virus.
Virus WOBBLER deletes all information stored on the hard drive, destroys Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer. Under no circumstances open a mail with this subject!

Please also pass on this information to all acquaintances, colleagues, etc. who work with mails. So far, few people have been informed about this virus; therefore, please inform everyone else as quickly as possible.

Please do not forward virus warnings!

Often a quick look at the Hoax list of TU Berlin already helps. Most of these “prank warnings” are known there and have already been debunked.