I'm no expert but my computer guru at work tells me that to date an e-mail
can't deliver a virus unless that virus is in the form of an attachment
(an attachment that one opens either manually or automatically) Anyay,
there are a number of hoaxes out there designed only to get you spread
around false infromation. There are hoax sites that can be checked to
verify the authenticity of the warning. Neadless to sy the best defence
against an e-mail that may contain a virus is:

Follow 1 simple rule - never run or open any attachment that comes
from an unknown source, and you'll be fine.  Personally, I'd never
run something handed around by friends either - it's just dangerous.
Unless you or your friends know the precise source of the document,
you are at risk.  An email cannot contain a virus, only attachments
to emails can contain viruses, including Word and Excel documents
and especially anything .EXE

>Listee's;
>Received this this pm,Thought I should pass it on
>
>Regards, Roy
>--------- Begin forwarded message ----------
>From: Carole & Mike Zapadinsky <zapped@jps.net>
>To: roy@juno.com
>Subject: Re: HELLO
>Date: Wed, 10 Feb 1999 15:52:32 -0800 (PST)
>Message-ID: <199902102352.PAA08966@repop2.jps.net>
>
>Hello Everyone. we're all fine here, nice to see you too.  Have your
>heard
>about this one???
>
>This is no Joke, to be taken very seriously...
>
>WARNING Message from IBM
>
>If you receive an e-mail titiled "JOIN THE CREW" or "PENPALS"
>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 and not many people know about it! This information
>was received this morning by IBM, Please share it with anyone
>that might access the internet!!
>
>PENPAL appears to be a friendly letter asking you if you are
>interested in a penpal, but by the time you read this letter it
>is TOO late.
>
>The Trojan horse virus will have already infected the boot
>sector of your hard drive, destroying all the data present. It is a
>self-replicating virus, and once the message is read it will
>AUTOMATICALLY forward itself to anyone who's e-mail address is
>present in your box!  This virus will destroy your hard drive
>and holds the potential to DESTROY the hard drive of anyone
>whose mail is in your box and whose mail is in their box and so on and
>on!
>
>So delete any message titled PENPAL or JOIN THE CREW. This
>virus can do major DAMAGE to worldwide networks!
>
>PLEASE PASS THIS ALONG TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS AND
>PEOPLE IN YOUR MAILBOXES. AOL HAS SAID THIS IS A VERY
>DANGEROUS VIRUS AND THERE IS NO REMEDY FOR THIS.
>FORWARD IT TO ALL YOUR ON-LINE FRIENDS A.S.A.P.!
>
>
>--------- End forwarded message ----------
>
>___________________________________________________________________
>You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
>Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html
>or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]