Look into using MIME::Decoder. If your stuff is encoded as 'quoted-printable' (and it probably is if you are being passed them funny characters), then do something like:

my $decoder = new MIME::Decoder 'quoted-printable' or warn "\nunsuppor
+ted\n";
[download]

and then look at the documentation for the decode method. Sorry I don't have a thorough answer but this should get you on track. I like chicken.