Budweiser Frogs Virus Hoax
Summary:Email claims that a screensaver featuring the Budweiser Frogs contains a dangerous computer virus (
Full commentary below.)
Status:False
Example:(Submitted, August 2005)
NO JOKE...
READ IMMEDIATELY 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.
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.
This is VERY important. If you receive a screen saver from a friend or
anyone you may not know with the Budweiser Frogs in it, DO NOT DOWNLOAD
IT OR OPEN THE FILE!
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:
This email hoax was first launched back in 1999 and has been intermittently circulating ever since. In mid 2005 the hoax was resurrected in slightly altered form (see above) and began spreading rapidly once again. The phrasing in the hoax is quite similar to other
common virus hoaxes including the
Guts to Say Jesus Virus Hoax.
There is not, nor has there ever been, a virus like the one described in these hoax messages. 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. 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.
Reference:
Mcafee Article: Bud Frogs Screen Saver Hoax
Other versions of the hoax:
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...
Write-up by Brett M.Christensen
