# DHL Email Virus Going Around OT/NT



## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

Just an FYI.

I've seen a large increase in the number of emails coming in claiming to be from DHL and supposedly containing invoices or notifications of shipping problems. These are viruses/malware and should be deleted without opening them. While I'm sure many/most know this, I thought it important to point out. While we usually know if we've ordered something, as the Holiday Season approaches, people may be sending us stuff we didn't order and were unaware of. People are more easily sucked into opening these emails claiming delivery problems around this time of year. Additionally, I get stuff at work all the time that my wife ordered for herself and I didn't know about beforehand.

BTW, if you use Outlook Express and have your "Preview Pane" turned on, you are opening the email as soon as you click on it. The "Preview Pane" is the lower right-hand window below the subject list that shows the contents of an email as soon as you click on the subject. You therefore can't even click on an email to delete it without opening it as they happen simultaneously.

You should turn off your "Preview Pane" by going to *View|Layout* and unchecking the *Show Preview Pane* box.


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## Pete Chimney (Jan 12, 2008)

It should be known that DHL no longer ships within the US. 

Therefore, unless you are expecting a package from outside the US, regard any e-mail from DHL as highly suspect.


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

This brings up more concerns.

Whoever is generating these things could just as well make them appear to come from "UPS" or "USPS" or "Joe Blow's Quicky Package Delivery Multi-mega-corporation", and any one of us could very well be expecting a package from any of them, or actually be the receipient of a surprise unbirthday package sent by our dear Auntie Chucky or Uncle Mildred. 

So if we are warned to never open an e-mail from DHL we will also be terribly wary of opening any e-mail from any of the other delivery services... or for that matter from any vendor, national organization or charity, our church or fraternal organizaion, flower society, garden club, friend or relative.

Originally, Outlook (both the "full" version and homely "Express") used the Preview Pane to show just text and not include photos, icons, or any other possibly executable computer code, but Microsoft decided in their infinite Dumbdom to change that many years ago to fully execute all possible code in the e-mail in the Preview Pane, such that using the Preview Pane to verify the content was somehow legit was lost. Of course the dorks that send this stuff could just as well include legit looking text to get someone to open the missive in the full view mode anyway, thus negating the safety of the Look Before You Leap feature of the old Preview Pane.

1) Does anyone know of a way to view the text of incoming e-mails so one could at least have some indication of what it is about and have a semi-fighting chance of knowing of there is some reason to look into a possible package delivery problem?


2) I used to use Outlook for my primary e-mail program (and still have a few old e-mails in the database that I have needed to refer to in the past), but at one point in time it suddenly ceased to be able to open my e-mail account to download new data to my computer (Microsoft was unable to fix it) so I went back to the Browser operation of my e-mail account. Which brings up one of the other concerns I have... is my method of e-mail operation vulnerable to these "attacks" from tainted e-mails?


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## San Juan (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks for the heads up.

Worries me, like others have posted, of the potential for virus/malware emails saying they are from UPS, FedEx, and USPS in the future.


Outlook sounds pretty open to viruses if you don't know what you're doing. Glad I don't use it. I use Gmail, but I'm sure there are some potential openings in it as well.


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## redbeard (Jan 2, 2008)

I send and receive a lot of packages with UPS, USPS, and FedEx. If I ever receive an e-mail about a package it is from the sender, NOT the carrier. I have NEVER received an e-mail from a shipping company, phone calls yes, but no e-mails. When I get an e-mail from a sender, I initiate the contact with the shipper, not the other way around. I would suspect any e-mail from a shipper if I did not initiate the contact. 
Larry Newman


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

FYI - in the past I have received similar emails purportedly from UPS, so you guys bring up a good point. If you stop and think about if tor a minute, how the **** would DHL, UPS, USPS, FedEx, etc. even know your email address? 
Does anyone know of a way to view the text of incoming e-mails so one could at least have some indication of what it is about and have a semi-fighting chance of knowing of there is some reason to look into a possible package delivery problem?I can't say with Outlook Semper, but in Outlook Express, you can right-click on the subject line and select Properties, then the Details tab, then the Message Source button. That allows you to see the textual contents of an email without opening it (assuming the Preview Pane is off) as well as all email headers, and also allows you to view and UUE or Base64 encoding embedded or attached.


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## Spule 4 (Jan 2, 2008)

Ah, web mail.... not a virus since!


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## armorsmith (Jun 1, 2008)

My solution is to use any operating system but Windows. 

My tuppence worth. 

Bob C.


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## Greg Vocks (Jan 2, 2008)

I've gotten a few e-mails lately that say they were from the IRS. I wouldn't open them even (especially?) if I thought they really were from the IRS.


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