'Recycled': 'Invitation Facebook' Virus: From August 2011 & 2006

There's a 'new rumor about a new virus going around called Invitation Facebook.

Here's notice that i received from a 'friend' on facebook:

Everyone! Alert! Computer virus that wipes out your hard drive..Do not open any message with an attachment called: Invitation FACEBOOK, regardless of who sent it. It is a virus that opens an Olympic torch that burns the whole hard disc C of your computer. This virus will be received from someone you had in your address book.. That's why you should send this message to all your contacts. It is better to receive this email 25 times to receive the virus and open it .. If you receive a mail called: Invitation FACEBOOK, though sent by a friend, do not open it and delete it immediately. It is the worst virus announced by CNN. A new virus has been discovered recently that has been classified by Microsoft as the most destructive virus ever. It is a Trojan Horse that asks you to install an adobe flash plug-in. Once you install it, it's all over. And there is no repair yet for this kind of virus. This virus simply destroys the Zero Sector of the Hard Disc, where the vital information of their function is saved. PLEASE CIRCULATE THIS NOTICE TO YOUR FRIENDS, FAMILY, CONTACTS! SNOPES SAYS THIS IS TRUE............

Although, this 'notice' says that Snopes says its true i went to Snopes page and couldn't find a single thing about this on their site.

Although, i'm writing an article critical about these so-called viruses i'm one of those ones who usually spread the 'chain' (if you will say it that), in my opinion is better to be safe than sorry. I learned a lesson a couple of times, my two previous computers got viruses and were ruined. So, out of caution i usually join the chorus of those who spread the word.

There are a lot of these so-called 'chains' on the web nowadays sometimes you don't know if its true or not. 

This is first time i heard of this so-called virus but i found an article from August 10 claiming that this is a 'hoax.' Who knows maybe this 'virus' is making a 'come back'. 

It seems like every year a new so-called virus chain makes the round and in my opinion the Christmas season is when these so-called viruses chains get popularity i understand why people 'fall' for them, i'm one of them, its out of caution and they don't want their computers and friends' computers to get infected by viruses. I'm sure if this virus is real the media and would pick it up. But keep in my this is October the month of Halloween (which i'm not really fond of). Some people try to trick you with these so 'viruses'.

By searching to see if its true or not i found an article from 2006 debunking a similar 'virus' chain.

Here's the description of the 2006 'virus' chain:

Subject: ****** VIRUS WARNING *****

Please read the attached warning issued today.

PLEASE FORWARD THIS WARNING AMONG FRIENDS, FAMILY AND CONTACTS:

You should be alert during the next days:

Do not open any message with an attached filed called "Invitation" regardless of who sent it.

It is a virus that opens an Olympic Torch which "burns" the whole hard disc C of your computer. This virus will be received from someone who has your e-mail address in his/her contact list, that is why you should send this e-mail to all your contacts. It is better to receive this message 25 times than to receive the virus and open it.

If you receive a mail called "invitation", though sent by a friend, do not open it and shut down your computer immediately.

This is the worst virus announced by CNN, it has been classified by Microsoft as the most destructive virus ever.

This virus was discovered by McAfee yesterday, and there is no repair yet for this kind of virus.

This virus simply destroys the Zero Sector of the Hard Disc, where the vital information is kept.

SEND THIS E-MAIL TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW, COPY THIS E-MAIL AND SEND IT TO YOUR FRIENDS AND REMEMBER: IF YOU SEND IT TO THEM, YOU WILL BENEFIT ALL OF US.

They both make reference to the 'Olympic Torch' which makes me a little skpetical of this so-called 'virus' chain, for one it's only the beginning of fall, we aren't any were near winter yet. Fall doesn't end until December. So, we've got a couple more months until Winter.

Update: Truth or Fiction has a timeline of the 'virus' chain's life cycle.