Bogus Bin Laden Virus Bites Back
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An email which has spanned the globe warning businesses and individuals of a virus-laden email containing images of Osama Bin Laden hanged is a hoax in itself, according to a spokesperson for the Australian Federal Police (AFP).

The email, which purports to come from officer Trevor Smallwood at the Brisbane AFP and claims to be backed by computer security company McAfee, urges recipients to forward it on to everyone in their address book to warn them on the virus-laden email.

“Emails with pictures of Osama Bin-Laden hanged are being sent and the moment that you open these emails your computer will crash and you will not be able to fix it!” says the hoax message.

“If you get an email along the lines of ‘Osama Bin Laden Captured’ or ‘Osama Hanged’ don’t open the attachment.
 
“This e-mail is being distributed through countries around the globe.  Be considerate & send this warning to whomever you know.

 

“PLEASE FORWARD THIS WARNING AMONG FRIENDS, FAMILY AND CONTACTS.”    

The hoax email doesn’t appear to be dangerous, with no visible attachments included. However, Officer Smallwood’s phone number and fax number are both included in the message driving unwanted calls to his office.

“We have had a few calls today,” said Smallwood’s secretary, in response to SmartHouse enquiries.

In fact, the spokesperson at the Brisbane FPA guessed the reason for this publication’s call before she had been informed, suggesting that the police office has had more than only “a few” enquiries since the email has been circulating.

“It is definitely a hoax,” said the secretary.

 

“I have no idea where it began, but Trevor definitely has nothing to do with it – he has been on annual leave for the past week.”

The email states: “Do not open any message with an attached filed called 
‘Invitation’ regardless of who sent it. It is a virus that opens an Olympic Torch which ‘burns’ the whole hard disc C of your computer.
 
“This virus will be received from someone who has your e-mail address in his/her contact list, that is why you should send this e-mail to all your contacts.
  
“It is better to receive this message 25 times than to receive the virus and open it.

“If you receive a mail called ‘invitation’, though sent by a friend, do not open it and shut down your computer immediately.

“This is the worst virus announced by CNN, it has been classified by Microsoft as the most destructive virus ever.

“This virus was discovered by McAfee yesterday, and there is no repair yet for this kind of virus.

 

“This virus simply destroys the Zero Sector of the Hard Disc, where the vital information is kept.”

McAfee was unavailable for comment today.