Hoax Warnings


	Alphabetical Index

NAME:	Lotus Notes virus hoax
ALIAS:	Pleeeeeeeese Read! message hoax

The original message consists of 2 parts - a warning about a new virus for Lotus Notes and a warning about Pleeeeeeese Read! e-mail message. No viruses currently exist for Lotus Notes (at the moment of creation of this description), so the first part is a hoax. The second part warns about a message with "Fw: Fw: $$$ PLEEEEEEEASE READ!" subject. This message really exists and was in circulation during summer 2000. That message was a variant of Microsoft E-Mail Tracking System hoax and according to our statistics never contained any viruses. Below is the original content of Lotus Notes hoax:

 To:  ALL LOTUS NOTES USERS

 Original Date:       08/31/00
 Update Date:

 Subject:   VIRUS ALERT

 Objective:  ALERT LOTUS NOTES USERS OF POSSIBLE VIRUS

 Functionality/Application affected:   Lotus Notes

 Business(es) affected:  Those using Lotus Notes Mail

 Description of Issue:

 A malicious e-mail message containing a "Melissa"-type of script
 file has been identified by Computer Sciences Corporation
 affecting e-mail systems globally.  If you read the message,
 additional messages could be issued from your computer to other
 recipients.

 This has been confirmed as a problem in Lotus Notes.  This can
 happen even if you have the Message Preview split screen open in
 Notes.  The Message Preview split screen allows you to view a
 highlighted message at the bottom of your screen.  If the
 message is visible in the Preview split screen the script can be
 active.

 Please do not open any messages with the following subject:  Fw:
 Fw: $$$ PLEEEEEEEASE READ! .  Immediately delete such messages
 from your mail file.

 To delete the message in Lotus Notes do the following: In your
 e-mail inbox, verify that you do not have the Message Preview
 pane open, i.e., you do not see the message contents when you
 highlight the message in the inbox. Disable the Message Preview
 pane from the Menu bar. Highlight the message with the subject
 Fw: Fw: $$$ PLEEEEEEEASE READ! Click on the Delete button. Press
 the F9 key on your keyboard. When prompted to verify deletion,
 select  "Yes."

 If you have any questions regarding how to safely dispose of
 this e-mail message, please call your local Customer Support
 Service Center.

If you receive this or similar message, please ignore it and do not pass it on. If you receive a message with "Fw: Fw: $$$ PLEEEEEEEASE READ!" or similar subject, do not pass it on either.

[Last modified: September 2000]