E-card spam

I know this post will get me labeled as a nerd or geek in some places, but I have to point this out for my friends and relatives. Of course, this spam isn't really new, but new to me. It was common a few years ago [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/2367967.stm], but now has re-emerged.

If you get an email saying "e-card from a friend", "e-card from a colleague", etc; don't open it, but mark it as spam and delete it. (Some email providers delete an email automatically when you mark it as spam.) It is likely a virus called the storm worm or Peacomm trojan. Gotta see to believe? Search "e-card spam". The two articles below are from earlier this month. [http://www.informationweek.com/software/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=200001991] [http://www.darkreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=128280&WT.svl=cmpnews1_1]

Now, if you receive an e-card that is from someone you know - it has his/her name in the email's title. For example, you get an email with the subject "John Brown sent you an e-card" You should contact John to make sure he sent you an e-card. If he did, then it's probably safe to open. Note that a real e-card will not try to download a .exe file to your computer. A real e-card will open in your Internet explorer or other web browser window.

Bottom line: be very careful what emails you open.