Summary: Email claims that a screensaver featuring the Budweiser Frogs contains a dangerous computer virus (Full commentary below.)
Status: False
Example:(Submitted, September 2009)
Subject: READ IMMEDIATLY AND PLEASE CIRCULATE
NO JOKE...
READ AND PASS ON TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW
Someone is sending out a very cute screensaver of the Budweiser Frogs.
If you download it, you will lose everything! Your hard drive will crash and someone from the Internet will get your screen name and password! DO NOT DOWNLOAD IT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES!
It just went into circulation yesterday. Please distribute this message.This is a new, very malicious virus and not many people know about it. This information was announced yesterday morning from Microsoft. Please share it with everyone that might access the Internet.
Press the forward button on your email program and send this notice to
EVERYONE you know.
Let's keep our email safe for everyone
Commentary:
A long running hoax email falsely claims that a screensaver featuring the Budweiser Frogs harbours a malicious computer virus
This email hoax was first distributed back in 1997 and has been intermittently circulating ever since. In mid 2005 the hoax was resurrected in slightly altered form and began spreading rapidly once again. During 2009, the hoax again enjoyed a resurgence and began hitting inboxes around the world. The phrasing in the hoax is quite similar to other common virus hoaxes including the Guts to Say Jesus Virus Hoax.
Although there actually was a Budweiser Frogs screensaver, it did not contain a virus. In 1996, Budweiser offered a free "Budweiser Frogs" screensaver download via its website and this screensaver rapidly became popular. In 1997, some unknown prankster launched the first version of the hoax, falsely claiming that the screensaver harboured a malicious virus. However, examination by reputable antivirus companies including Sophos and McAfee found no malicious content in the screensaver.
If you receive a Budweiser Frogs message similar to the examples shown here, do not forward it to others and let the sender know that the message is a hoax
Fake virus warnings are a common subject of hoaxes. False warnings such as this are counterproductive and will help no one. If you receive a virus warning in the form of a forwarded email always take the time to check its veracity at an anti-hoax or virus information website before you forward it.
Someone is sending out a very cute screensaver of the Budweiser
Frogs. If you download it, you will lose everything! Your hard
drive will crash and someone from the Internet will get your
screen name and password! DO NOT DOWNLOAD IT UNDER ANY
CIRCUMSTANCES! It just went into circulation yesterday. Please
distribute this message.This is a new, very malicious virus and
not many people know about it. This information was announced
yesterday morning from Microsoft. Please share it with everyone
that might access the Internet.
Once again, Pass This Along To EVERYONE in your address book so
that this may be stopped. AOL has said that this is a very
dangerous virus and that there is NO remedy for it at this
time.
DANGER!!! VIRUS ALERT!!!
THIS IS A NEW TWIST. SOME CREEPOID SCAM-ARTIST IS SENDING OUT A VERY DESIRABLE SCREEN-SAVER {{THE BUD FROGS}}.
IF YOU DOWN-LOAD IT, YOU'LL LOSE EVERYTHING!!!! YOUR HARD DRIVE WILL KERBLAM..CRASH!!
DON'T DOWNLOAD THIS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES!!! IT JUST WENT INTO CIRCULATION ON 05/13/97, AS FAR AS I KNOW!!
PLEASE DISTRIBUTE THIS WARNING TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE...
