ScamsOnline

Trojan encrypts your files, holds them ransom for $300

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."

Olympic Torch Hoax

The Olympic Torch Hoax is being spread through email. It has been reported that the following text of the hoax may differ slightly in the various messages going around. The email warns of a virus that burns the whole hard disk drive a computer. This virus does not exist. In fact, no program, virus or otherwise, is capable of burning a hole into a disk drive.

The CIA Says That "Your IP was logged"

Did you receive an e-mail from the CIA? And you ask, "Why would they be writing to me?"

In fact, they did not. Despite the return address, the e-mail was not sent by the CIA. That address was forged. Here is what McAfee VirusScan says about the e-mail message: