See IBM's news on the subject from way back in June:
http://www.av.ibm.com/BreakingNews/HypeAlert/Crew/
Also, various known hoax viruses are listed at McAfee's site:
http://www.mcafee.com/support/hoax.html
These sites remind us that simply opening a mail message cannot
start a program (so far). The danger resides in any attached
executable files (i.e., a file that starts a program).
-Sallijan
who is going to go join the crew of a sailboat this weekend
Original warning read:
>FYI
>
>>WARNING!!!!!
>>Do not to open an e-mail titled "JOIN THE CREW".
>>DO NOT open it!
>>It will erase EVERYTHING on your hard drive!
>>Send this letter out to as many people as you can.
>>This is a new virus that is not yet detectable by McAfee or others.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sallijan Snyder, Santa Clara, CA | ==> I am not a speaker-for-Intel.
(408)765-9068 wrk (408)629-5909 hm | "Give me land, lots of land
Internet: jsnyder@td2cad.intel.com | Under starry skies above--
or sallijan@ix.netcom.com | Don't fence me in!"
*IZCC #42, ZONC #97043* | --Cole Porter