Tech: Hijacked e-mail address

Subject: Tech: Hijacked e-mail address
From: GUEST,Eddie1 - Sans cookie as ever
Date: 15 Jan 16 - 04:40 AM

About a month ago, I suddenly lost all my Contacts from Windows Live Mail then the trouble started! I have had literally hundreds of "Undelivered Message" reports referring to e-mails to addresses I have never heard of and lots of contacts by friends who tell me they have received an e-mail from me, headed "Important Message" that "looked suspicious"! I have run an Anti-virus programme and changed my password but I still keep getting the messages. I have contacted my e-mail provider who was not much help, other than to tell me that my e-mail address had been hacked, which was what I told them in the first place!
Oh for John in Kansas! Can any one advise please?

Eddie

Subject: RE: Tech: Hijacked e-mail address
From: GUEST,DaveRo
Date: 15 Jan 16 - 04:59 AM

It just means some compromised computer is send spam with your email address in the 'from' field. It doesn't mean your computer is involved or ever has been. You address has been harvested to receive spam, probably from malware in the computer if someone you emailed, and was randomly chosen as tge sender.

It's common, and most peolle know that. So ignore it - it'll probably die down after a few days. But if it doesn't you may have to change your email address.

Subject: RE: Tech: Hijacked e-mail address
From: GUEST,Eddie1 - Sans cookie as ever
Date: 15 Jan 16 - 05:04 AM

Thanks for this. It has been going for 3/4 weeks now so guess I have to go with your suggestion. A bummer because I can't advise all my contacts as I've lost them!

Eddie

Subject: RE: Tech: Hijacked e-mail address
From: GUEST,DaveRo
Date: 15 Jan 16 - 05:22 AM

3/4 weeks us a long time! It's happened to me a couple of times. I got a peak of 'undelivereds' after 2-3 days and it was all over in a week.

The undelivered messages are not affecting anyone else, perhaps you can filter them out. It's only if your own messages get bounced that you'll be forced to do something. Maybe test with a few friends to check if your emails are still getting through and look out for cases where they might not be. Good luck.

Subject: RE: Tech: Hijacked e-mail address
From: GUEST,#
Date: 15 Jan 16 - 08:47 AM

You may wish to read this Forbes article.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/adamtanner/2014/04/14/these-sites-tell-which-of-your-accounts-have-been-hacked/#2715e4857a0b3c2c4f8a4e8e

Subject: RE: Tech: Hijacked e-mail address
From: GUEST,.gargoylr
Date: 15 Jan 16 - 08:28 PM

I have been experiencing a recent major-blow-out....with e-mail and the extension of DOCX....as attachments

The DOCX is a Microsoft proprietary file.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Why can't we all get along?

Subject: RE: Tech: Hijacked e-mail address
From: GUEST,#
Date: 15 Jan 16 - 08:51 PM

Gargoyle, does the fact you use Linux have any bearing on this? I'm so tied into Microsoft it's labourious to even consider changing. There is so much I don't know about this technology, starting with the nomenclature/argot/language. I do listen to you because you know your stuff.

Subject: RE: Tech: Hijacked e-mail address
From: GUEST,DaveRo
Date: 16 Jan 16 - 02:55 AM

GUEST,.gargoylr wrote: I have been experiencing a recent major-blow-out....with e-mail and the extension of DOCX....as attachments

Relatives sending you their 'What we did in 2015' accounts?

Maybe a macro virus - antique malware to catch XP users.

Subject: RE: Tech: Hijacked e-mail address
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 16 Jan 16 - 06:20 AM

I once got bombarded with the "undeliverable" emails.

As far as I can remember, it turned out that a fair number of others using the same ISP (possibly Red Fox Hosting) were also affected and the ISP put it down to an assault on their email system which was getting my say 100s of bounce emails per hour X multiple email accounts. I think the ISPs response was to suspend the email for the affected addresses until things died down and that it was about a month before these email accounts were restored.