Hoax virus warnings and spam scams: The top 10

The full top 10:

1. JDBGMGR (accounts for 14 per cent of all reports) - A hoax virus warning relating to the Microsoft debugger registrar for Java. Verdict: The purported seriousness of this virus warning has been eating up bandwidth worldwide. If you receive such a warning check with your anti-virus firm before mailing it out to everybody you know. They are invariably a hoax.

2. Budweiser frogs (6.9 per cent) - Another hoax virus warning: "Someone is sending out a very desirable screen-saver of the Budweiser Frogs. But if you download it, you will lose everything..." Verdict: Be careful whenever downloading anything - and don't do it if you can't vouch for the source. Also, don't download croaking frog screensavers - they take up too much space, they are very 1997 and they weren't even very funny back then.

3. 'A virtual card for you' (6.2 per cent) - Another hoax virus warning: "It sends itself automatically to all contacts on your list with the title "A Virtual Card for You..." Verdict: Again, this sounds more plausible than most - so check with somebody such as Sophos to see if it is a hoax or real - in this case it's fake, but it's best to make sure.

4. Hotmail hoax (6.0 per cent) - Purports to be from the Hotmail staff: "All you have to do is forward this on to at least 10 registered Hotmail users" or you will have your Hotmail account closed down. Verdict: No scam, no fraud, just a rubbish attempt to clog up mail servers - and in fourth place it seems to be working

5. Nigerian money scam (5.9 per cent). See http://www.silicon.com/a55205 for more. Verdict: You're looking after the money of the deposed king of Nigeria you say. And I'm the Queen of Sheeba.

6. Bill Gates' fortune (3.9 cent) - "Bill Gates is sharing his fortune. When you forward this e-mail to friends, Microsoft can and will track it for a two week time period. For every person that you forward this email to, Microsoft will pay you $245." Verdict: Yeah right. Would anybody really take this nonsense seriously? Clearly they do... hang your heads in shame all who have forwarded this...

7. Frog in a blender (3.7 per cent) - Blender.exe is a bandwidth sapping animation, spreading worldwide and clogging servers in the process. Verdict:Does exactly what it says on the tin - which isn't very pleasant, but hardly damaging - that is until somebody uses its popularity to deliver a virus on the back of its infamy. Always be careful when downloading or opening any .exe file.

8. JS/Exploit (2.7 per cent) - According to Sophos "JS.Exploit is not a virus, but rather an exploit that takes advantage of a security vulnerability in some versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer, Outlook and Outlook Express." Verdict: This 'virus warning' is billed by Sophos as more of a misunderstanding than a hoax. Get yourself on Microsoft's website and get patched... just in case.

9. Meninas da Playboy (2.4 per cent) - email hoax: "Esse vírus foi descoberto na Argentina e esta se espalhando muito rapidamente pelo mundo todo." Indeed. Verdict: A Portuguese virus hoax which just goes to show it is possible to be gullible in a language other than English.

10. Mobile phone hoax (2.3 per cent) - A hoax virus warning with a twist - it's about mobile phones. "NOW THERE IS A VIRUS ON MOBILE PHONE SYSTEMS. If you receive a phone call and your phone displays "UNAVAILABLE" on the screen DON'T ANSWER THE CALL. END THE CALL IMMEDIATELY!!! Verdict: More nonsense preying upon users' techno-fears. Don't worry, your Nokia is quite safe.