Viral email

[RumRunner]

If anyone on this list receives an email purportedly from a reliable source saying there are pictures to share, delete it immediately, DO NOT OPEN. I opened because it came from a "known source" but deleted it out of suspicion because that person had no reason to send me that topic. However upon review of the HTML source there is a javascript program which, when you open the email even to view, reads your entire contact list and adds it to their list of "credible sources" to continue the viral expansion. I do not know if opening it returns your contact list to the originator or not. Do NOT OPEN IT even to view. If you open it DO NOT CLICK ON EITHER "YES" OR "NO."

The company who sent this is www.tagged.com - apparently another sleazy dating service billing itself as a social networking site. They have an unmanned voice mail at 415-946-1953. I reported them for phishing to my email provider.

I run an active viral scanner however since this is embedded javascript it sneaked right on in. The authors are "good." The javascript is tight and efficient.

[ex10]

Yup, I got it from someone here at GS. I clicked on it and it sent emails to my contacts. Sheesh.

[Shellon]

Yeah, me too cuz it came from my daughters telling me there were pictures of my grandchildren.

Shi+

[GeorgeStGeorge]

Happened to me, from a GS'er. God only knows who got it from me.

Any idea how long it takes before the phonies show up? My work e-mail is in my address book, but I can view it at home. It hasn't sent one there yet.

George

Edited June 7, 2009 by GeorgeStGeorge

[waysider]

So then if you get "tagged", you're **it?

[WordWolf]

So then if you get "tagged", you're **it?

No.

http://www.snopes.com/computer/internet/tagged.asp

"Many recipients, upon learning that these mysterious messages were not actually sent

by the persons named, have believed them to be a form of virus or scam.

While these messages may not technically fall completely within either the "virus" or

"scam" classifications

(because they don't furtively install malicious software on PCs, nor is there an

intent to disable computers or obtain money through fraud behind them),

the method by which they're spread and their deceptiveness include elements of

both those classes."

The full details are here:

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Security/Harvesting-Teenagers/

The briefest summary was by a poster here:

http://www.siteadvisor.com/sites/tagged.com

"They send you an email claiming someone you know has sent you pictures, even though that person did not.

If you click on the link and are foolish enough to give them the information they say you need to provide to see these imaginary pictures, they will take the password to YOUR email account and send the same message to everyone in your address book. Hope everyone in it has a sense of humor about being sent a scam email.

They enroll members through fraud. Regardless of whether they have done anything else to harm those people once they signed up, regardless of whether there was fine print explaining their business model, they lied about someone wanting to send you pictures. You know you will never be able to trust this site. "

In other words, if you remain properly paranoid about providing your information

online, they won't catch you.

[GeorgeStGeorge]

No.

In other words, if you remain properly paranoid about providing your information

online, they won't catch you.

Good to know. I did not fill out their registration information, even though I did originally click the "Yes" button. I refuse to join these sites just to be able to see pictures that should have been sent to me directly, anyway!

George

[Twinky]

Hey, Ex10, I just got an email from Tagged supposedly from you. Did you actually send this?

I looked at the email, and to view the pix I have to give lotsa personal data and sign up for an account, including giving DoB. GstG - exactly!!

Makes sense if it's a dating service type of thing.

[ex10]

Hey, Ex10, I just got an email from Tagged supposedly from you. Did you actually send this?

I looked at the email, and to view the pix I have to give lotsa personal data and sign up for an account, including giving DoB. GstG - exactly!!

Makes sense if it's a dating service type of thing.

Twinky,

I didn't send the email, so ignore it. The funny thing is, not everyone in my address book got it, just some.

[pawtucket]

Twinky,

I didn't send the email, so ignore it. The funny thing is, not everyone in my address book got it, just some.

I got it too. This "tagged" thing has been around for a month or so. I automatically delete any indirect invitations, as they are usually spam of some type.

[excathedra]

i got a tagged thing from joe smith. didn't he start another cult ?

hey paw, want to chat ?

[rascal]

Damn, thanks for the heads up. Shell I got that tagged picture thing, it said it was from you. Thankfully I haven`t opened it yet. Whew. Got a warning about this in another persons emails, so was going to call first.

Edited June 9, 2009 by rascal

[Shellon]

Glad you didn't open it rascal. I'm usually ridiculously anal about not opening stuff but yeah this one got me cuz it said pictures of my grandbabies, and seemed to be from my daugther, so yeah, I trusted it, sigh.

A few problems from it, but they were easily fixable, whew.

[GeorgeStGeorge]

Apparently, no one got it from me, so it must be as Word Wolf mentioned. It's not a problem if you open it, only if you "register" to "see the pictures."

George