Virus warning!

[Victor Steinbok]

These are quite common actually--not sure I would call these "next
generation".  Generally, it's a bad idea to click on links that arrive
without any explanation, even from "people you know" (spoofed). Here's
one I got from a friend less than two weeks ago.

> I allowed my debt to spiral out of control I was running out of
> options quickly I thought I was dreaming when I came across this
> http://j.mp/dOAD** after researching about it I knew it was right for
> me this is the most useful advice I can give anyone

I replaced the last two characters in the link with asterisks. What's
new about this one is the use of short URLs--before, all the phishing
mail I got had spoofed links that simply hid the real destination under
a fake one. But the accompanying text makes it obvious. Generally, a
combination of checking the to/from headers, the style of the text and
nosequitur subject header are dead giveaways, although some are better
than others. If someone sends just a link, always watch out for redirect
signs /within/ the link. Most news links are fairly straightforward
(often with the title of the article a part of the link). If in doubt,
it's always easier to ask than to risk infection, if the message is from
someone you know.

     VS-)

On 3/20/2011 11:09 AM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
> People on another list report an especially insidious virus going the
> rounds.
>
> You get an email from someone you know, but all or most of it is a link.
>
> You press the link. When it's least expected, you're infected.
>
> The current viral messages are headed [No Subject], but the next generation
> will be more sophisticated.
>
> Be careful.
>
> JL
>
> --
> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org