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    ICQ Hoaxes and Nuisance Messages
       
    Users of ICQ often receive messages claiming to be from ICQ management, some other authority or someone trying to 'HELP' that ask them to forward a message to other users. These messages have one thing in common, they are all   HOAXES!!!  Please check out  Dam Lies!!!

    The ICQ Home Page used to explain this quite clearly and stated:

    ...So think twice before you hit the 'forward' button, and if you receive such a message, please send it back to the sender with the web address of this paragraph " http://www.mirabilis.com/rumors.html."

    Mirabilis LTD also used to state on their home page that they will NEVER ask users to forward messages to others for any reason. Why would they? If they do have anything to communicate to users, it can more effectively be sent in the form of a system message.

    Recently there are many messages and even a web page I saw recently that asks you to help stop ICQ's new owners, AOL from charging ICQ users. See See ICQ's Rumor Page

    Some of these phoney messages claim the following:

    • Terrible viruses are circulating in the form of ICQ messages. This is highly unlikely. See my Virus Warning and Virus Hoax page.
    • That Mirabilis LTD will be charging for each message sent.
    • State that you will be disconnected from ICQ if you don't forward the message.
    • If you don't forward the message, it will erase your hard drive (ridiculous).

    There are many other varieties but they all ask you to forward the messages on to others. Be part of the solution, not part of the problem. Don't forward these messages to others.

    If you think a message might be genuine, check out the above link or the ICQ Home Page.

    Lately, I have received a many new nuisance messages. These take a variety of forms ranging from requests for prayers for people with cancer to "You're my friend!" notes. The next time you think the Internet is a bit slow, think of the millions of similar nuisance messages that are being sent and just DON'T FORWARD nuisance messages any more. Be part of the solution, not the problem.

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