3 posts tagged “bum_tnoo7”

Well it didn't long for a new strain of the bum_tnoo7 chain letter / spam / hoax to hit the good old FaceBook.

This new version warns us of a new diabolical hacker called Kurt Chapman who no doubt plans to take control of the intertubes simply by having you add him as a friend.

What I find hilarious is that they haven't even bothered to change the text other than the name. Some of the grammatical errors in this version of the letter or the  intentional l33t speak (depending on your point of view) have been corrected, but it's basically the same thing.

The bum_tnoo7 warning
If somebody called bum_tnoo7@hotmail.com adds u don't accept it because its a hacker.
Tell every one on ur list because if somebody on ur list adds them u get them on ur list he'll figure out ur ID computer address, so copy and paste this message to every one even if u hate them and fast cause if he hacks their mail he hacks ur mail!

Kurt Chapman warning
If some boy called KURT CHAPMAN adds u don't accept it because its a hacker!!

When I said that the bum_tnoo7 was internet herpes, I might have misspoke. It's more like the virus from 28 Days later.

You can check out Sophons, Hoax Slayer, Zedge and even personal blogs for examples as to why this is a hoax. Or you could have just Googled it. Yet it keeps getting forwarded on and on and on and... Well you get the picture and my growing annoyance.

One factor this hoax has such legs is Hollywood preying on the fear and ignorance of the non-tech. Tip, a computer will not explode by simply typing explode and hitting enter. Of course if you think that kind of stuff happens your system is probably already compromised with viruses and / or malware.

Another reason is that people just want to help and protect their friends, an admirable sentiment to be sure. But if you're my friend I would much rather get a message from you then forwarded spam. Even a video of a cheerleader getting trampled by the football team as they take the field would be acceptable.

I have no idea who this guy in the photo is, but he's attached to the latest bum_tnoo7 message outbreak on Facebook. I don't know if he's the guy who started the whole thing or just someone adding their photo to the message. But if I every see this guy in public I'm totally going to scream "BUM_TNOO7" at the top of my lungs and run the other way and won't stop till I get home and lock the doors and bolt the windows. Let's just hope he's some innocent bystander for his sake.

Sure things like this are harmless but can you imaging the amount of bandwidth and personal time being consumed right now on this message? Boggles the mind.

So he's my plan. We need a Say No to Forwarding Day. If there's a day for Talk Like a Pirate. I'm sure we could swing this. How about November 1st? Every November 1st don't forward anything to your entire address book without thinking.

Remember, every time you forward spam you support terrorism. You don't want to help terrorists do you? No didn't think so.

Now before you run off to your panic room, calm down; I'm just joking.

But social engineering is a wonderful thing, well unless you're Kevin Mitnick and they drop the hammer on your ass.

At its worse it can be down right evil, destroying your credit or allowing people to steal private and sensitive information. At the best of time it annoys the $#!t out of me.

Remember a couple of years back, that email how Mircosoft would cut you big fat check in a few weeks if you forwarded their email along? Or the one where the Gap would sent you a gift certificate forwarding the email to seven other people.

Well the new internet herpes is Bum_tnoo7.

I think it's funny how with this letter we're not getting it in our email inbox but in the inboxes of our social Web 2.0 networks like Facebook. Doesn't anyone email anymore?