hijacked e-mails....help

[julie w]

Hi, I would be so grateful for any advice as I dont know much about computers. Everyone on my e-mail list has been sent 2 e-mails from me (but I didn't send them) The first one opened a virus when they read it, and the second one said I was starting a new business selling sex toys and did they want to buy anything. It may sound amusing, but people are thinking it's from me and it's creepy to think someone can have access to all my addresses. Even my DO must have received these as she's on my e-mail list. What can I do? Thankyou so much.:(

[wendywu]

Try Googling it as a question. It should take you onto forums talking about that subject.

Have you got any security etc on your computer.:)

[PRINCESSDAISYFLOWER]

i agreee with Julie
and immediatley change your password x

[miffy]

There was another thread about this recently

http://www.childmindinghelp.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=37229&highlight=e-mails

Might help you

Miffy xx

[Pauline]

It seems to be a big problem at the moment with Yahoo and Hotmail :(

Like Miffy says the above thread should help you. :)

[sarah707]

It happened to me recently as well :(

I have also had strange emails from other people.

I changed my password but I'll not know how effective it was until it does / doesn't happen again I suppose.

Best advice is to NEVER open strange emails... but that's hard when they come from people you trust :(

[Star]

Oh no, how awful. :( I will look out for this.

star

[Bazza]

If you use an e-mail system like Outlook then you are possibly infected with a virus that replicates itself in e-mails it sends to people through your system. There are ways to fix and prevent this. More details here! (http://virusbusters.itcs.umich.edu/forged_from.html)

I use a virus check called Avast which is free and covers everything on your PC from internet to e-mail to peer to peer downloads. Get it here! (http://www.avast.com/eng/download-avast-home.html). I cannot recommend it enough and have all my PCs covered by it.

If you use a web based e-mail like hotmail, aol, yahoo etc then this is more likely spoofing. Not a lot you can do im afraid, spammers are a real pest.

What many people dont realise is that you dont need to open a file to get a virus, you can actually get them from websites so it is important to have up to date virus software.

[The Juggler]

I would cancel your e-mail account, install a protection system and then set up a new account.

We had to have our whole computer wiped 2 years ago. It was awful!

[julie w]

Thanks for everyone who replied and who has given me advice. I've only been with this forum a short while, but already it's a godsend. Not only with this problem, but so much help with my work. Thankyou everyone. Julie.XXX.:)