There's a Trojan horse program going around that, if run, will put your files into an encrypted zip file and delete the originals. It also leaves a file called AUTO_ZIP_REPORT.TXT that contains instructions on getting your files back: send $300 ransom to an E-Gold account. The text file says, "If you really care about documents and information in encrypted files you can pay using electonic currency $300. Reporting to police about a case will not help you, they do not know password. Reporting somewhere about our E-Gold account will not help you to restore files. This is your only way to get yours files back."
The Trojan is apparently not widespread, having been sent by e-mail to relatively few victims, and is not considered a major threat, though the virus' originator is using scores of E-Gold accounts to avoid shutdown.
Details may be found at http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1937408,00.asp?kc=EWRSS03119TX1K0000594
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