So- the joke cited above may be a little on the extreme side, but the fact of the matter is that people receive these messages frequently and for whatever reason- superstition, gullibility or just because they think its humorous- they propagate it to everyone they know and continue clogging the email boxes of the world with more junk.

Have you ever seen this message:

• BlankA virus has been passed to me by a contact. Our address book in turn has been affected. Since you are in our address book there is a good chance you will find it in your computer too.
  We followed the direction below and eradicated the virus easily. The virus (called jdbgmgr.exe) is not detected by Norton or McAfee anti-virus systems (nor OnTrack). The virus sits quietly for 14 days before damaging the system.
  
  It is sent automatically by messenger and by the address book whether or not you sent emails to your contacts.
  
  Here is how you check for the virus and get rid of it.
  
  1. Go to start, then: find or search option.
  2. In the file/folders option, type the name: jdbgmgr.exe
  3. Be sure to search your C: drive and all the subfolders and any other drives you may have.
  4. Click "find now"
  5. The virus has a teddy bear icon with the name jdbgmgr.exe. DO NOT OPEN IT
  6. Go to Edit (on the menu bar), choose "select all" to highlight the file without opening it.
  7. Now go to File (on the menu bar) and select delete. It will then go to the recycle bin.
  
  IF YOU FIND THIS VIRUS,YOU MUST CONTACT ALL THE PEOPLE IN YOUR ADDRESS BOOK SO THEY CAN ERADICATE IT IN THEIR OWN ADDRESS BOOKS.
  
  To do this: (a) Open a new e-mail message (b) Click on the icon of the address book next to the "TO" (c) Highlight every name and add to "BCC" (d) Copy this message above and paste to e-mail. (e) Enter subject
  

Or, maybe you received a version that looks like this:

• Subject: Virus Alert
  A virus has been passed to our computers. As your contact is in our address book, you may have received this virus from me as well.
  
  Please see the instructions below to delete and pass on to your contacts. The virus (called jdbgmgr.exe) is not detected by Norton or McAfee or F-secure or VET anti virus systems. The virus sits quietly for 14 days before damaging the system. It's sent automatically by messenger and by the address book whether or not you send e-mails to your contacts.
  
  Here's how to check for the virus and how to get rid of it.
  
  Thanks
  
  YOU MUST DO THIS -
  
  1. Go to start (bottom left corner), find the search option (or "find").
  2. In the files / folders option, write the name jdbgmgr.exe
  3. Be sure to search your C: drive and any other drives you may have.
  4. Click "find now"
  5. The virus has a teddy bear icon with the name jdbgmgr.exe DO NOT OPEN IT.
  6. Go to edit : choose "select all" to highlight the file without opening it.
  7. Now go to file and select "delete". It will go to your recycle bin.
  8. Go to your recycle bin and delete it there as well.
  
  IF YOU FIND THE VIRUS YOU MUST CONTACT ALL THE PEOPLE IN YOUR ADDRESS BOOK SO THEY CAN ERADICATE IT IN THEIR OWN ADDRESS BOOKS. SORRY ABOUT THIS. I'm SURE EVERYONE IN THE ADDRESS BOOK WILL HAVE IT.
  
  To do this open new email message, click the photo of the address book next to TO. Click every name and add to BCC. Copy this message, enter subject, paste to email, send.
  

These are two versions of the JDBGMGR Teddy Bear Hoax message. Yes, there is a file on most Windows computers called JDBGMGR.exe and, yes, it does have a teddy bear icon associated with it. However, it is a standard file and not the result of any virus or other malware.

For the record, if you did happen to delete the JDBGMGR.exe file, you probably have nothing to worry about. It is only necessary for Java developers. Here is a message from Microsoft about it:

• The Microsoft Debugger Registrar for Java (Jdbgmgr.exe) is only used by Microsoft Visual J++ 1.1 developers.
  If you follow the e-mail message instructions and delete this file, you do not have to recover it unless you use Microsoft Visual J++ 1.1 to develop Java programs on Windows XP, Windows NT 4.0, Windows 98 Second Edition, Windows 98, or Windows 95.
  
  For Windows XP, Windows NT 4.0, Windows 98 Second Edition, Windows 98, and Windows 95: Reinstall Microsoft Virtual Machine (Microsoft VM).
  

The bottom line is this- if a message implores you to send it on to everyone you know there is a 99.9% chance it is a hoax or some other form of spam. Before you fall victim and continue the cycle of ridiculously meaningless email being propagated around the world, try validating the truth of the message at a site like the Snopes.com Urban Legends References or the About.com Antivirus Hoax Encyclopedia.