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E-mail spoofing, hotmail account

Hello

I have a hotmail account. E-mails are sent using my account to various people. What is puzzling me is that e-mails are only sent to my 'friends' list and contact list. I get copied on each e-mail sent. How can this be? I've changed my password several times. Is there some sort of software that can see a contact list or crack passwords. My passwords are complex (Capital letter, number and symbol).
I am worried that someone is logging into my account and sending e-mails. I find it difficult to think that this is just e-mail spoofing.

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10023

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JT92677

You might install the free version of Zonealarm from

http://www.zonealarm.com/security/en-us/zonealarm-pc-security-free-firewall.htm

It reports reports outbound internet activity and you have to authorize it, using a "training" approach. It asks if you want some program to access the internet, and you can confirm a one time access, deny the access, or make the decision and have it apply on every access of the same kind.

It might help you find out if some program is ransacking your e-mail contact list and using it to spam your contacts.

Avast antivirus also monitors e-mail activity, and internet browsing activity looking for attempts to run or load all sorts of things that might degrade your computer.

http://www.avast.com/free-antivirus-download

I've used several of the commercial firewall type programs, and zonealarm and avast are a pretty secure combination.

Malware bytes anti-malware is good to use for occasional scanning of your system looking for potential or real problems. Look here for more details and download links:

http://malwarebytes.org/mbam.php

I hope this helps.

Jeff

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yasserd

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Russell_Venable

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hermidae

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adimit

ASKER

I tried all of the approaches. I changed my password, I downloaded the firewall. In the end they all limited some of these e-mails. I have considerably fewer e-mails sent to my contact-lists

Russell_Venable

If the firewall/Anti-Virus helped to eliminate some of the emails then you are having a local problem. Did zone alarm popup with a request trying to go out? Also did MBAM pick anything up? If so what was it? I am assuming you have Avast for Anti-Virus now?

I would suggest letting Microsoft "One Care" Online Virus scanner to take a look on your computer to make sure. This service WILL remove the virus if found..

Are you using a program to access your hotmail? (AKA: Outlook, Windows Live Mail, Eudora, Thunderbird, etc) If so is your password cached meaning is it stored so you dont have to enter your credentials again? If this is true uncheck it and manually login in from now on and RECHANGE your password and make sure you dont use cached credentials on your computer for your security.

Hope to hear from you soon.

Tolomir

This question has been classified as abandoned and is being closed as part of the Cleanup Program. See my comment at the end of the question for more details.