Monday, May 08, 2006

If you will pass this message to 20 of your friends, then RIAA will email you your favorite song for free

Every once in a while, I get an email or and instant message (IM) saying something like:

"Company "X" has launched a new campaign to "Y" or for "Z", and would do "W", only if you send this email or IM to specified number of friends. "
Technically it is almost impossible, or very difficult and surely illegal for someone to know how many emails or IMs you sent, and who did you send them to. Every time I get an email of this kind, I'm reminded of an old, a bit rude joke, that is right on the spot. I t goes like this:
Note! If you might be offended, skip this section!
A mountain climber struggles on a steep slope of the mountain and after a few excruciating hours he finally gets to the top. To his amazement at the very top of the mountain he finds an old man with white beard and hair, wearing a cloak. The climber rubs his eyes in disbelief and when asks the man:

- Who are you? What are you doing here?

- I'm a wizard - answers the old man - and if you blow "wizardly pipe" you would get three wishes granted.

The climber thinks it over and then agrees. Wile he sucks the old man's dick, the "wizard" pets him on the head and quietly says:

- Such a grown fellow and still believes in stories!
While such emails or IMs are 100% hoaxes, they amaze me, as it proves to be a good example of social engineering, since so many people have fallen for them.
Please, don't fall for it too. Since the next time it could be more dangerous than an innocent joke.

2 comments:

Irina Tsukerman said...

LOL. The best way to get someone to read something is to say it's going to be offensive! : D

Woland said...

Thinking about it... Yes! :-)