Hoax Warnings


	Alphabetical Index

NAME:	Klingerman Virus hoax
ALIAS:	Clingerman

During May, 2000, a warning about Klingerman virus became widespread in USA and Europe. This warning is confirmed to be a hoax by CDC - the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. You can read their official statement if you follow the below link:

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/kingerman_hoax.htm

Please note that the Klingerman hoax appeared long before WTC terrorist attack or the Antrax mail letters that were sent in beginning of October 2001. So while this hoax warns about biological viruses being sent trough normal mail, the Klingerman case is just a hoax.

The original hoax message looks like this:

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 Subject: Fw: virus warning but not e-mail

 This is an alert about a virus in the original sense of the
 word...one that affects your body, not your hard drive.

 There have been23 confirmed cases of people attacked by the
 Klingerman Virus, a virus that arrives in your real mail box,
 not your  e-mail in box.

 Someonehas been mailing large blue envelopes, seemingly at
 random, to people inside the US.  On the front of the envelope
 in bold black letters is printed, "A gift for you from the
 Klingerman Foundation." When the envelopes are opened, there is
 a small sponge sealed in plastic. This sponge carries what has
 come to be known as the Klingerman Virus, as public health
 officials state this is a strain of  virus they have not
 previously encountered.

 When asked for comment, Florida police Sergeant Stetson said,
 "We are working with the CDC and the USPS, but have so far been
 unable to track down the origins of these letters.  The
 returnaddresses have all been different, and we are certain a
 re-mailing service is being used, making our jobs that much more
 difficult." Those who have come in contact with the Klingerman
 Virus have been hospitalized with severe dysentery.  So far
 seven of the twenty-three victims have died.

 There is no legitimate Klingerman Foundation mailing unsolicited
 gifts.  If you receive an oversized blue envelope in the mail
 marked, "A gift from the Klingerman foundation", DO NOT open it.
 Place the envelope in a strong plastic bag or container, and
 call the police immediately. The "gift" inside is one you
 definitely do not want.

 PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO EVERYONE YOU CARE ABOUT.

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There is also another shorter version of this hoax:

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 IMPORTANT WARNING!!!  RANDOM PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES, CANADA
 AND SO ON HAVE BEGAN RECEIVING A BIG BLUE ENVELOPE THROUGH THE
 MAIL THIS ENVELOPE IS ADDRESSED TO RANDOM PEOPLE IT READS A
 GIFT FOR YOU FROM THE CLINGERMAN FOUNDATION. INSIDE THIS
 CONTAINS A SEALED SPONGE CONTAINING THE CLINGERMAN VIRUS
 THIS IS NOT A JOKE! AT LEAST 23 PEOPLE HOSPITALIZED AND SEVEN
 DEATHS HAVE OCCURED. WE HAVE BEEN ASKED IF RECIEVED A BIG BLUE
 ENVELOPE ADRESSED AS SUCH TO PUT IN A PLASTIC BAG AND CALL LOCAL
 POLICE DPT. AGAIN DO NOT OPEN THIS!!!!!

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If you receive either of these messages or something similar, please ignore it and do not pass it on.