Mobile Phone Alert

[Minnie M]

I have just received this email from a 'friend of a friend' not sure if it is genuine, but that I had better share either way :-

All mobile users pay attention! If u recieve a fone call and your display reads "XALAN" dont answer the call.End it immediately, if u answer the call, your fone will be infected by a virus. This virus will erase all IMEI and IMSI infofrom both both your fone & sim card; resulting in your fone being unable to connect with the network. You'll have to buy a new fone. This info has been confirmed by both motorola and nokia. Over 3 million users have been affected worlwide. More info can be found on the CNN website.
Spread the yama (word)

[LMC]

It's a hoax

[Magic Hans]

Originally Posted by NewKid

It's a hoax

Hoax-slayer.com, eh? I've not come across that one!

The (anti spam/hoaxing) one that I like is www.breakthechain.org. It's got some funnies on there too!

[Magic Hans]

I like this bebuinking of a hoax! It's old, but still good!



On Mon, 17 May 1999, we recieved the following hoax:

NOW THERE IS A VIRUS ON MOBILE PHONE SYSTEM.

Interesting claim there:
# Cell phones aren't computers

# They don't have executable file storage

# Even if they had a programmable ROM chip, this is no threat unless it were FLASHable

# Since there is no I/O system, one would probably have to pull the chip to do this anyway

All mobile phone in DIGITAL system can be infected by this virus. If you receive a phone call and your phone display "UNAVAILABLE" on the screen (for most of digital mobile phones with a function to display in-coming call telephone number), DON'T ANSWER THE CALL!!! END THE CALL IMMEDIATELY!!! BECAUSE IF YOU ANSWER THE CALL, YOUR PHONE WILL BE INFECTED BY THIS VIRUS.

It's a lot more likely to be infected by a virus if you sneeze on it.

This virus will erase all IMIE and IMSI information from both your phone and your SIM card which will make your phone unable to connect with the telephone network!!! You will have to buy a new phone.

Technobabble to confuse the naive but well-meaning.

This information has been confirmed by both Motorola and Nokia!!! For more information, please visit Motorola or Nokia web sites: http://www.mot.com or http://www.nokia.com.

Nice try. Check Motorola (leaving our site) and Nokia (leaving our site) yourself, where you'll find nothing, unless they put up a debunkiing of this haox eventually.

There are over 3 million mobile phone being infected by this virus in USA now. You can also check this news in CNN web site: http://www.cnn.com.

... where again you'll find nothing; see CNN's home page (leaving our site). Hmmm. Could it be a conspiracy??

Nope, just a silly hoax. For corroboration, see e.g., DataFellows debunking of this hoax (leaving our site).

Hope new virus won't attack our TV in future.

I suppose this is as good a place as any to point out that there are no TV (or WebTV) viruses, or printer viruses, or toaster oven viruses, or....

I say, boldly:

# There is no such thing as a Mobile Phone Virus and Never Will Be
# There are too many w*nkers out there writing hoaxes; this angers me
# There are too many folks out there believing them; this only makes me sad.
# P.T. Barnum was right, but the frequency was wrong: "There's a sucker born every millisecond" nowadays.

Please do not forward this -- or any other hoax -- to all your friends.

[ducasi]

Originally Posted by Magic Hans

I like this bebuinking of a hoax! It's old, but still good!

On Mon, 17 May 1999, we recieved the following hoax:

NOW THERE IS A VIRUS ON MOBILE PHONE SYSTEM.

At the time it was written it was mostly true... However...

# Cell phones aren't computers

Well, they are, they just vary on how programmable they are by the user.

# They don't have executable file storage

Many do...

# Even if they had a programmable ROM chip, this is no threat unless it were FLASHable

Common feature these days.

# Since there is no I/O system, one would probably have to pull the chip to do this anyway

Not any more.

I say, boldly:

# There is no such thing as a Mobile Phone Virus and Never Will Be

This unfortunately was wrong.

[Magic Hans]

Originally Posted by ducasi

At the time it was written it was mostly true... However...
...

Agreed, he is now out of date. However, the general tenet concerning hoaxes still holds. ie

Check out any claim before assuming it,
By all means spread info by web page references and not email (open to abuse)
(unstated) When mass mailing, ensure that email addresses are hidden. Stops spammers adding to their mailing database.

[Lou]

Originally Posted by Magic Hans

Agreed, he is now out of date. However, the general tenet concerning hoaxes still holds. ie Check out any claim before assuming it

Nice hoax-debunking sites, guys. Snopes.com has been my long-time favourite place to check out whether such warnings are hoaxes or urban legends (often easily spotted as "FOAF" tales....)

[Lynn]

This seems to be the latest mobile hoax

"You know the email that’s gone round saying put ICE then a contact number in case of emergency? Well don't do it cos....

Be very careful with this one - although the intention is great it is unfortunately phase one of a phone based virus that is laying a path For propagating very quickly. Passing it on is part of the virus

interestingly, such is the deviousness of the people who write these things. We have already seen the "second phase" where a program is sent as Part of a ring-tone download that goes into your address book and looks for something it recognises - you've guessed it, an address book entry marked "ICE or I.C.E." or whatever. It then sends itself to the "ICE list", charging you for the privilege."

I checked it out using NewKid's link and it confirms its a hoax