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How do I prevent email account theft?

by mott
8 replies
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Hello

Yesterday some jerk sent a spam email using my account, to all my contacts, using my email address. This caused a lot of problems with my contacts, consisting of friends and associates, who didn't appreciate the spam email.

I changed my email login password, but what else can I do to prevent this from happening again? My account is with hotmail.

Thanks for your help.
  • Profile picture of the author KimW
    First scan your computer for a key logger.
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  • Profile picture of the author Michael Motley
    Are you sure he actually used your email account and not just your email address as the return address?
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  • Profile picture of the author KimW
    Michael, the fact that he says emails were sent to all his contacts would indicate his account was used and not just his address.
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  • Profile picture of the author Lloyd Buchinski
    Did you have a strong password? Throw in a ~^| and stuff like that.
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    • Profile picture of the author mott
      Well I scanned my computer and found no threats. I changed the password too. Yes the email was sent with my address to all my contacts. Either it was hacked or somehow I forwarded a spam email myself, but I don't know how I could have done that.
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      Rich

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  • Profile picture of the author billionareHuman
    The exact same thing happened to me yesterday. I noticed a few failed send returns to me but thought perhaps it was some trick. Then friends starting emailing me asking what did I send them? So the email was sent to my full list.

    I've changed my password and scanned my computer for viruses etc but nothing found.

    I did have a bad virus about a week ago that loaded a whole load of other spyware on my computer, it even logged into all my FTP accounts and modified my website files trying to put an iframe to another site in there, I had to fix all my sites.

    Perhaps they got the password to my hotmail then and only used it now.

    It's amazing how much time and resource goes into creating these tactics to hack people's computers, just the greed of it all without a thought for how it affects people is beyond belief.
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  • Profile picture of the author MR2nice
    I agree with scanning your computer for key loggers. Another is to change your password frequently.
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    • Profile picture of the author mott
      OK I found more info...someone accessed my "vacation reply" box, entered the spam message in there and clicked the box to activate the automatic vacation reply. So anyone emailing me would get the spam message. Pretty slick actually.

      billionareHuman was your automated vacation reply activated?
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      Rich

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