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Spyware, viruses, & security : Someone is using my e-mail addy to spam-is it a virus?
Someone is using my e-mail addy to spam-is it a virus?
by saleh.2201 - 1/13/09 9:17 PMI was cleaning out my known spam folder (Earthlink Mail) and noticed 5 "from" addresses showed MY address. I use Avast AV,Comodo Firewall Pro,Spysweeper and Spywareblaster. All sweeps were clean. I have not noticed any problems with my e-mails, but I am concerned that someone has my address and is using it for spamming. Could this be some type of virus or keylogger problem? Should I report this to my ISP? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Could it be your e-mail has been spoofed?
by Marianna Schmudlach
- 1/13/09 10:15 PM
In reply to: Someone is using my e-mail addy to spam-is it a virus? by saleh.2201
Did you have a look at the e-mail header?
E-mail spoofing
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-mail_spoofing
Definately bogus
by saleh.2201 - 1/14/09 8:40 AM In reply to: Could it be your e-mail has been spoofed? by Marianna Schmudlach
I hesitated opening the e-mail, and when I did, I got a ballon message saying "this page contains both secure and nonsecure items. Do you want to display the nonsecure items?". I cringed, then did a sys. restore point in case something bad happened, then I opened it. Here it is.
Overview Known spam Suspect Email Settings
‹ Previous | Next › | « Back to Known spam
From: mack4valve@earthlink.net
To: mack4valve@earthlink.net
Subject: RE: Message 91420
Date: Jan 13, 2009 10:25 PM
About this mailing:
You are receiving this e-mail because you subscribed to MSN Featured Offers. Microsoft respects your privacy. If you do not wish to receive this MSN Featured Offers e-mail, please click the "Unsubscribe" link below. This will not unsubscribe you from e-mail communications from third-party advertisers that may appear in MSN Feature Offers. This shall not constitute an offer by MSN. MSN shall not be responsible or liable for the advertisers' content nor any of the goods or service advertised. Prices and item availability subject to change without notice.
c2008 Microsoft | Unsubscribe | More Newsletters | Privacy
Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 81142
As far as I know, I have never signed up for MSN featured offers.
Your thoughts, please.
I am afraid, you can't do anything but DELETING .....
by Marianna Schmudlach - 1/14/09 8:52 AM
In reply to: Definately bogus by saleh.2201
You are NOT alone 
See also here:
http://certifiedbug.com/blog/tag/msn-featured-offers-scam/
Maybe you should download Mailwasher :
"Introducing MailWasher, the leader in spam filter software, and the easiest way to check and manage your e-mails before you download them.
MailWasher is free to use and won't ever expire. It works with Outlook, Outlook Express and every other email program.
Use this powerful spam blocker software to effectively stop email spam. Discover the safe way to stop unwanted e-mails before they get to your computer."
http://www.mailwasher.net/
Very informative link
by saleh.2201 - 1/14/09 7:47 PM In reply to: I am afraid, you can't do anything but DELETING ..... by Marianna Schmudlach
Thank you for the certifiedbug.com link! I am not the only one with this problem. I have changed e-mail addresses and I hope all will be o.k. I will be downloading Mailwasher and give it a spin. I am concerned that the certifiedbug.com link showed Avira as catching this crap,but my Avast didn't. Should I switch? I pride myself in using safe practices when checking e-mails and do not fall for the "click on link to unsubscribe" scam or click on links which I do not recognize as being from someone I know. I guess spammers are pretty smart for bottom feeders. Thanks for the education.
Avira.......
by Marianna Schmudlach - 1/14/09 10:24 PM
In reply to: Very informative link by saleh.2201
You could give Avira a try:
Here is the download link:
http://www.free-av.com/
I am using Mailwasher for many years and I would NOT want to miss it.
Happy SAFE Computing 
Microsoft emails.
by WA. Jonny. - 1/17/09 9:16 AM In reply to: Could it be your e-mail has been spoofed? by Marianna Schmudlach
I have got the same problems with Microsoft emails.
A few weeks ago, I accepted Microsoft emails thinking there would be telling me news as well as updates.
Half of my emails are now from Microsoft that I see as span.
I live in Perth West Australia, and, the Australian law states: No ISP company can advertise a 3rd party.
I don't know what the law is in the USA.
But, I wonder why Microsoft the leading internet provider has to send out these emails.
Is Microsoft getting a kick back from the companies that Microsoft sends it's emails from?
Something to think about?
It looks like Microsoft is getting a very bad name for it self!!
Those are fake email's and spam...
by glenn30 - 1/17/09 9:24 AM In reply to: Microsoft emails. by WA. Jonny.Microsoft does not use that method to contact users. Trash such email without opening.
Glenn
It's not from Microsoft...
by mbednarz - 1/17/09 10:51 AM In reply to: Microsoft emails. by WA. Jonny.I was getting the same thing. They are not from Microsoft, they are phishing emails often using your address to create legitimacy. When you hit the unsubscribe or update or any other link, or photo you can launch or unload their vicious payload.
If they are using your email address, refer to my posting above to contact your isp, or just go into their filter, move or add your own address into the BLOCKED sender list, instead of ALLOWED. Send yourself a test email, you should still get it, but theirs will stop.
My niece and nephew both fell victim to an "update" email from "Microsoft" and got that nasty virus/malware that hijacked their browser and caused my brother HOURS of grief with paid Tech support at Gateway to rid their systems. Microsoft will not send you emails unless you had requested it on Msoft Live Mail or other, and even then they won't be about updates, just offerings or info. Msft will NEVER send you emails to update Windows or IE. they use the Automatic Updater specifically for that purpose and your own security.
There is a way to rid them...
by mbednarz - 1/16/09 9:59 PM In reply to: Someone is using my e-mail addy to spam-is it a virus? by saleh.2201I had the same situation recently. I was getting some really NASTY XXX kind of stuff that I definitely never sent to myself! I didn't dare click on the UNSUBSCRIBE, or any other link or anything inside the message for fear that it would launch a payload. Fortunately,I have a very good, local ISP and I contacted them. They had me go into the Postini Spam filter and move my own email address from the ALLOWED to BLOCKED senders list. I told them I still wanted to be able to send myself emails and messages, but they said they would still come through, and they are. You might try this yourself or contact your ISP to see if it may be different, but you definitely don't have to put up with the Spammers.
probably gathered from someone elses
by zepper - 1/17/09 7:36 AM In reply to: Someone is using my e-mail addy to spam-is it a virus? by saleh.2201Assuming you regularly do AV, spyware, etc. scans, then your email addy was probably gathered from someone else's machine who is not so careful. The purpose of a lot of malware is just this, to gather email addys from unprotected machines and phone them home as the opportunity presents. Then they are used both as a false FROM: address as well as a TO: address for spam. If your addy is used often enough as a FROM:, it could get you blackballed from some mail systems (but I think the mail would actually have to be sent via your mail service, not just have your name on it). Not much you can do about what happens on someone else's machine - just remind your friends to use some good security software regularly and to learn how to use BCC: (blind carbon copy) on the email they send, so that you don't potentially send long lists of valid addresses to potentially compromised machines. And don't forward mail with long lists of openly visible addresses to others: copy the content to another message instead and BCC: your list of TO: addresses on that.
.bh.
I work for a large university with a huge IT dept
by Denisellen - 1/17/09 10:15 AM In reply to: probably gathered from someone elses by zepperconstantly scanning and updating and filtering but still have bots hyjacking my email address. Happens all the time...everyday. I know a major university is a big target. My junk mail folder is full of unsavory emails from my own email address.
This has become a common..
by glenn30 - 1/17/09 10:55 AM In reply to: I work for a large university with a huge IT dept by Denisellenmethod unsavory characters have developed to send spam by commandeering you email address and sending this junk.
Best I can determine this is not actually sent from your email but rather your address is substituted as sender by the spammer.
Little can be done about it... just delete them and move on. Gmail's spam filter seems to be catching all of these. Free MailWasher is useful for my ISP address but little few of these are received. I am careful who gets that address.
Glenn
Glenn
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