They're not harmless pranks. Rosenberger said he knows of one case where a hapless computer user erased his hard drive because a hoax message promised to tap into his personal information and broadcast it via the Internet. That's an extreme case. But a lot of people waste a lot of time spreading these bogus warnings. Time is money.
Resources cost money.
Employees waste time when they spam the hoax alert to everyone in their company. And, that's where you come in. While you're there, you can download our latest list of viruses to keep your computer safe. Maybe you've never done this because you regard the fear of viruses as good for business. After all, you're always quick to send out alarmist press releases whenever a new virus comes out, reminding people about the importance of virus protection.