Sue I sometimes go in the 'backdoor' of those and petitions to see who might be doing what. Try on that one, right click the header, click Properties, click Details, click Message Source and expand to full page. Then I look down through for links to web sites and if interested enough I Google the site.

Of course the simplest thing is to just delete it but offered the above in case you are nosy/curious like I can be at times.

I used to like forwards, I would laugh out loud and my husband would come in here to see what going on. But I've seen most of what comes around and I would hate forward something damaging to someone's computer so I don't forward anymore. I do read them. I doubt it's anything harmful, but don't take my word for it. LOL

Try on that one, right click the header, click Properties, click Details, click Message Source and expand to full page. Then I look down through for links to web sites and if interested enough I Google the site.

Well I use FF and have Hotmail which I read 'on line', but did rt click on the header and view message source. Well, that was sure a bunch of 'greek' to me stuff. I got over that quickly.

I doubt it's anything harmful, but don't take my word for it. LOL
Ok

Thanks both...appreciate it. I am usually not afraid to forward something, but when they taunt me with 'having to mail it to X number of people' before I can see what awaits me, then that is when I am most leery of them. Those are the ones I never forward.

I seldom open anything anymore with a FW in the subject line. I prefer to get my laughs out of watching Beaver, Andy, Frazier, etc.

Sue

Worse than that are the emails which say to forward to 7 people or else something terrible will happen to you. Or the ones which say if you don't forward to 7 people you won't get the great reward waiting for you...I delete all that crap.

Jane

only thing those emails are sure to bring you is MORE junk and spam mail since your name is now on a list of emails going all over the internet and being harvested by the spammers that create and send them out originally.
Nothing will pop up, nothing miraculous will happen, no money will be sent to you by Bill Gates, but you might well get a little surprise package in the form of infections.
Snopes is your friend! when in doubt go to snopes and check it out or to truthorfiction.
Snopes.com
TruthOrFiction.com

You didn't report if this e-mail was solicited or not, or from someone you knew or not.

In a clear and polite way, when you open unsolicited or forwarded e-mails all too often only bad can happen.

I have advised my family and friends to never forward me anything as I have established Message Rules in my mail client to route forwards directly to the Delete Folder. If it is important to them they can create and send.

DA

Dave that is a good idea and we wouldn't have to ask people not to send forwards. Some people won't write again if you ask them not to send forwards.

Undoubtedly some will not write again, but I have found that most people when having it explained to them claim to understand. Even some report they didn't know of the potential threat and share they themselves will take remedial action to avoid concerns.

DA

I receive and send forwards as I enjoy many of the emails that go around. However I always remove all traces of where they come from and never send those that need to be sent to the multitudes within mere seconds or if I do I remove that reference. It takes just seconds to remove all the unneeded bits before sending on.

A big part of computer user's enjoyment can be the emails, especially the PowerPoint and movie types.

Owbist,

I can appreciate your position on forwards and do recognize you as an experienced computer user.

I am a little concerned that less experienced users and newbies might view your position as a "go ahead". E-mail viruses and such are prevelant and on-going thus requiring constant monitoring and prophylaxis. In the case of forwards, inexperienced users who blindly use and accept forwards are taking unnecessary risk.

DA

Probably no point in saying this, but will anyway. Sometimes you have to weigh the pleasure and personal contact people get from forwards versus viruses. They have no interest in learning no matter what you tell them or how often you tell them, to them it just is away to communicate. I use to check my emails dozens of times a day, hoping for a joke or story. This was before I went online, at that time I did not realize using the internet was a way to satisfy my never ending curiosity. When I went online I didn't know about viruses, spyware and trojans, well maybe I did know about trojans. Because of my curiosity I have learned how to care for my PC and enjoy it and the learning. My friends think I am a whizz with the PC and who am I to tell them otherwise. LOL

In spite of my earlier lack of knowledge regarding viruses, spyware, etc., I survived and so did the people I emailed. The main problem with lack of knowledge of the PC is the loss of important documents and family photos because they don't know how to back up. Now off my soap box and will think about where to go for lunch.

In life you learn first then you do. If you do first then you learn the hard way. And the hard way could very easily be fatal for the computer system. I speak only for myself, but I am certain I echo the voice of many here. There is no excuse for not participating in and promoting "safe computing/safe surfing".

I remember not long ago a member here reported to the forum(in my words of understanding), "I just do what I want and don't worry. If I come up with a problem I will just come here and the good people will fix it for me". A

An absolutely terrible way to think and idea to share with others.

DA