posted on November 11, 2005 01:05:21 PM new
At least it's new to me. I recently listed some items after taking a 6 month hiatus from Ebay. On one of the items I get an e-mail asking normal condition and shipping questions. I respond(not through Ebay), and then get a follow-up question asking about payment options. I respond with my different payment options. In this case it was International, large amount, and that means only one payment option for me. I get a third e-mail from this buyer asking me to take a look at the enclosed attachment showing me the payment options? For my auction? He sent me a slideshow(he says). How cute. Of course I know better than to open any attachment. But I'm curious about the slideshow. The buyer was from The Netherlands, and had good feedback, over 100, all positive. In my experience buyers from this area can be pushy about telling you how to run your business. What kind of payment to accept, fudging on customs forms, etc. Figure the slideshow is going to show mw how great Paypal is, or something like this. So I go to the library to use the computers there to open the attachment and see the show. Can't view the attachment even at the library.
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Turns out the attachment was something called a RAR file. Similar to a ZIP file, it's a new variant on using these extracted or compressed files to give your computer a good dose of the virus clap. Watch out.
posted on November 11, 2005 04:55:57 PM new
RAR files have been around for a while now - nothing new in that. RAR files do need a different program than WinZip to open it and I doubt the library would have that. That doesn't mean that a RAR file is any more of a virus than anything else. I have been hit with a virus JUST from visiting a Web Page but fortunately AVAST stopped it from downloading onto my computer.
However you are wise not to open any attachments from someone you don't know.
With AVAST anti virus (the free edition) you can right click on the attachment and choose to scan the attachment for a virus. I know it works with WinZip and I'm almost positive it works with RAR.
Forward the email to [email protected] and I'll look at it for you. Could be that he's just been too long at the coffee house
