From my inbox... This is all sic...

Subject: PLEASE READ!!!!!

This is from Schwab corporate headquarters - so it's no joke. Very scary.Be careful Just when you thought you were safe, now we have the following to deal with...please read, it definitely is a serious threat to our lives and health. This is an alert about a virus in the original sense of the word...one that affects your body, not your hard drive. There have been 23 confirmed cases of people attacked by the Klingerman Virus, a virus that arrives in your real mail box, not your e-mail in box. Someone has been mailing large blue envelopes, seemingly at random, to people inside the US. On the front of the envelope in bold black letters is printed, "A gift for you from the Klingerman Foundation." When the envelopes are opened, there is a small sponge sealed in plastic. This sponge carries what has come to be known as the Klingerman Virus, as public health officials state this is a strain of virus they have not previously encountered. When asked for comment, Florida police Sergeant Stetson said, "We are working with the CDC and the USPS, but have so far been unable to track down the origins of these letters. The return addresses have all been different, and we are certain aremailing service is being used, making our jobs that much more difficult."

Those who have come in contact with the Klingerman Virus have been hospitalized with severe dysentery. So far seven of the twenty-three victims have died. There is no legitimate Klingerman Foundation mailing unsolicited gifts. If you receive an oversized blue envelopee in the mail marked "A gift from the Klingerman Foundation". DO NOT open it. Place it in a strong plastic bag or container and call the police immediately. The "gift" is one you definitely do not want to open

PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO EVERYONE YOU CARE ABOUT.

Reproduced from http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/klingerman_hoax.htm:

"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recently received several inquiries concerning an e-mail message about people who have been infected with "Klingerman virus" after opening gift packages delivered to them in the mail. According to the e-mail message, a number of people became ill with a viral infection after handling a sponge contained in a package marked, "A gift for you from the Klingerman Foundation."

The e-mail is a hoax. There is no "Klingerman virus," and the information in the e-mail notice is untrue. If you receive an e-mail message about "Klingerman virus," please do not forward it to others.

Although the e-mail message is a hoax, if you are concerned about the contents of a package you receive in the mail, contact your local post office. It is a criminal offense to send potentially hazardous agents through the mail for the purpose of deliberately causing harm to human health. When such an incident occurs, the local emergency response system should be activated by dialing 911 in most communities; in communities without 911 systems, local law enforcement authorities should be notified. The local FBI field office and local and state public health authorities also should be notified."

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