Well, if Snopes says it's true, and there is a link to a Snopes page in the chain email, then it must be true and must absolutely be passed on to everyone, right?

WRONG!

Just because a chain letter claims Snopes says it's real and provides a link, doesn't make it so...

The 2007 "Don't Open Merry Christmas" virus chain email is a hoax that gives the usual bogus "This is the worst virus ever, it will burn your hard drive!" and other such hysterical claims. But in order to try looking credible so people will pass it along without actually bothering to look it up, the chain also provides a link to a 2004 Snopes page about a virus from back then. The deal is that most people will just pass on the chain without actually checking out the Snopes info. And no, it is not better getting any chain email 25 times than opening a Merry Christmas message.

Outdated 2004 virus info Snopes link contained in the 2007 Merry Christmas virus hoax chain:

http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/zafi.asp

Snopes page on the 2007 variant of the Merry Christmas virus warning hoax, AKA the "A Virtual Card For You" or "Olympic Virus Warning" hoax:

http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/invitation.asp

Sadly, people go to great lengths to come up with excuses instead of admitting they fell for a hoax and simply apologize.

"But the link was real, it is about an actual virus, so it's true and I still did a good thing by passing on the letter."

No...The link was to an outdated article about a virus from 2004 and has nothing to do with the rest of the chain letter message that makes wild, crazy claims and then tells you that receiving 25 copies of this chain is better than getting none and getting "the worst virus ever!" which in fact, doesn't even exist as the hoax describes it. The link was only included in a bid to make the hoax seem more credible, and evidently, people are taking this trick bait, hook, line and sinker. The letter is still a hoax, worthless.