If you receive a dire-sounding alert warning that a new computer virus circulating under the header "Invitation" will, quote, "open an Olympic torch which burns the whole hard disc of your computer," please ignore it. No such virus exists. Formerly known as "A Virtual Card for You," the alert is a rewritten hoax first sighted in 2000. Read more...
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Similar e-mails are being circulated in Spanish
According to snopes.com it is true that the Invitation Virus is out again, how is it that you both aren’t on the same page, which one of you do I trust? Please who is more up to date on all this stuff. I sent them a similar note.Thank you
Re: comment 2. The most recent version of the warning includes a note to the effect that snopes claims it is real. But that claim is also a hoax; see, e.g.
http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/invitation.asp
So there is no credible source of a
claim that this virus is real.
Funny – I’ve gotten this ‘warning’ alot over the past month. When I 1st got it in early December I checked Snopes, Urban Legends, HoaxBusters & Symantec. They ALL listed this ‘Invitation” as a hoax – the virus never existed.
I just received a recycled message of this stating that McAfeeis concerned about this virus & snopes claims it is real. Real or not?
Re: Comment 5
Anne, all of that info about McAfee is false as well. I actually just received this email and decided to look into it some more (that’s how i stumbled across this page). Anyway, i found a link to the McAfee website on a different page that has a virus report for this. Here’s the link: http://vil.nai.com/vil/content/v_98893.htm
note how under “type” it says “hoax”. so do not be alarmed, your computer is safe!
To Nancy and Anne:
What part of HOAX don’t you understand ?
There are similar coments in Serbian to.
In Slovenian also.
Just got it today and sent email back quickly to the originator with all links to snopes etc.
Please can someone tell a novice at computers and internet and the like what is gained from putting these out if anything. I am naturally a very curious person. God bless. Thanks.
What is gained by these types of emails going around is nothing more than panic. By forwarding the email like many claim you need to do, you do the dirty spamming of the author and could wind up in legal trouble yourself.
A good question: What is gained by (sending out) this type of email? ¤ Well, for controlfreak creeps, it brings them a jolly feeling, knowing that they’ve frightened someone. ¤ It helps encourage the climate of fear, uncertainty, and distrust that is so essential to maintaining the “laager mentality” that Bush and Co. need to perpetrate and perpetuate their frauds and violence. ¤ Lies and hoaxes are terrible things, especially when you remember that the “signature” of God is truth.
Okla police officer, dauther rachel has
cancer, forward as aol is tracking and
for each forward aol will send them 32
cents.
FYI — It is July 9, 2007 and I just received an e-mail with this recycled hoax with the forward, “It was checked with Norton Antivirus … it was also checked with snopes.com and this is for real.”
There may be confusion on the latest REAL virus e-mail “you have received an e-card from a friend, mate, worshipper…etc etc. This one is REAL, and I’ve received dozens of them so far!
I received the actual “Invitation” e-mail last week. I didn’t open the attachment because I didn’t know the sender. So whether or not the “virus warning” is real or not, there’s something out there that looks a lot like it.
The problem is, people are either too lazy or don’t know how to verify the fact. The hoax cleverly CLAIMS to quotes Snopes.com and Norton Anti-Virus, both known as authorities on the subject. If they are lying about the virus, they’ll lie about any sources they quote. DUH!!CHECK YOUR SOURCES! A quick check of both Snopes.com and Norton’s page shows that both of them classify this as a hoax. If people would just check their sources instead of mindlessly passing on these STUPID hoaxes, we wouldn’t have to put up with all of these ridiculous claims. I realize that their intentions are good, but remember, the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. And while I would never censure anyone’s right to free press or speech, no one has the right to yell “FIRE” in a crowded theatre, unless there actually is one.
Thats just as true as someone yelling bomb in an airport, unless there is one of course.
You would be in lots of trouble than so obviously you could get in trouble potentially for passing on such useless emails
can’t this just die
Re: S,
No of course it can’t! There are still MILLIONS of idiots/lazy people out there to receive this email. And the only way you might stop them is pretty much by sending out spam yourself. I’m afraid you’ll just have to delete or block anything with the spark words. (Personally I’d be suspicious of anything claiming to be ‘New Virus Info’ anyway, so no major loss!)
Nancy,
Snopes says its a HOAX along with about 20 other web pages. Do NOT circulate that email. It just uses up banwidth, by doing so.
It’s a hoax. Every link I’ve checked has agreed, there is no truth to this what so ever.
this message exists in spanish too
It seems as if this hoax is back…in a 2008 version and circulating via Facebook.
Last night, I recieved but in Arabic warning from INVITATION virus + BENGALI WOMAN MARRIAGE virus
Well, here’s a new twist to this one. Got this today:
“The Pharaoh of Egypt in Australia
URGENT!!! PLEASE CIRCULATE to your friends, family and contacts.
In the coming days, DO NOT open any message with an attachment called: BLACK MUSLIM IN THE WHITE HOUSE, regardless of who sent it to you. It is a virus that opens an Olympics torch that burns the whole hard disk C of your computer. This virus comes from a known person who you have in your list.”
Why does Snopes get by with recirculating information that they have done before and it was untrue in 2008 and now here it is again….who doe this scare tactic benefit? I have Not left this comment before today, if it pleases you not to display my comment, no problem. What is your website for, to pick and choose what people say?
Snopes hasn’t circulated (or recirculated) any false information about this. Ever.