OT: new computer virus warning

I received this notice from a friend.  It is to be passed on by anyone
on a mailing list, etc.  I have received warnings about AOL4free.com in
the last several months but the penpalgreetings virus is a new one for
me and my workplace.  The trouble is, one never really knows if these
virus warnings are hoaxes or are the real thing!  Better safe than very
sorry!

Gianna Einarson 

> Subject: FW: NEW VIRUS
> 
>                                   IMPORTANT!!!!
> 
>  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 ao4free.com
> 
>  Within seconds of opening it, a window appeared and began to display
> all
>  files that were being deleted.  The user immediately shut down the
>  computer, but it was too late..
> 
>  This virus wiped all 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..
> 
>  Please pass this on,........... to anyone you know
> 
>  Thanks
> 
>  Also....
> 
>     This information was received this morning from IBM, please
>     share it with anyone that might access the Internet:
> 
>     If anyone receives e-mail entitled "PENPAL  GREETINGS!" please
>     delete it WITHOUT READING IT!!  This is a warning for all Internet
>     users -there is a dangerous virus propagating  across the Internet
>     through an e-mail message entitled:
> 
>                               "PENPAL GREETINGS!"
> 
>            DO NOT DOWNLOAD ANY MESSAGE ENTITLED "PENPAL
> GRETINGS"!!
> 
> This message appears to be a friendly letter asking you if you are
> interested in a penpal, but by the time you read the letter,it is  too
> late. The  "trojan horse" virus will have already infected the boot
> sector of your hard drive, destroying all of the data present.  It is a
> self-replicating virus, and once the message is read, it will
> AUTOMATICALLY forward itself to anyone whose e-mail address is
> present in
> YOUR mailbox!
> 
>            This virus will DESTROY your hard drive, and holds the
> potential to DESTROY the hard drive of anyone whose mail is in your IN
> BOX, and whose mail is in their in box and so on.  If this virus keeps
> getting passed, it as the potential to do a great deal of damage to
> computer networks worldwide!!!!
> 
> Please, delete the message entitled "PENPAL GREETINGS!" AS SOON AS
> YOU SEE
> IT! Pass this message along to all of your friends and other readers of
> the newsgroups and mailing lists which you are on so that they are not
> hurt by this dangerous virus!!!!
> 
>     Please pass this along to everyone you know so this can be stopped..
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