IT/Virus??/Email help

AAlmeter · 06-18-2009, 03:31 PM

Strange situation we have here...

My uncle (bored and retired) sends out frequent emails of jokes, politics, etc. I never really paid any attention to the recipients until last week. He sent out an anti-Obama email. Then someone with a rather unusual first name hit "reply-all" so I was copied on it. I also noticed that this person mentioned his affiliations with the Democratic party. Kind of odd, as I know one of my brother's friends had this first name and had worked for the local Dem party.

Today, a similar situation happened, but I bothered to look at the entire list of who my uncle is forwarding these emails to. There are a lot of my brother's personal and professional contacts on that list, and my uncle knows none of them (he lives in NM, we're in NY).

I quickly forwarded the email to my brother, who is not copied on the emails to alert him to this fact.

It appears as though somehow my uncle has my brother's email address book and is unknowingly bulk emailing some emails to these people. Another email I received today from my uncle on the subject of tort reform was only sent to select people (uncle's family and friends), so these emails are not automatically being copied to everyone. Also, my brother is always especially careful with his email, and I have no record of any sort of contact between him and my uncle via email.

Any thoughts on this one? Ghosts maybe?

RBOrrell · 06-23-2009, 10:00 AM

What does he use for email? Does he use the web-based Hotmail or a web application based on Hotmail? There is a known issue where a web-based virus/spammer takes over the address book in Hotmail based accounts and sends out email to everyone in the address book.

I had this hit me and by the time I caught it, it went through my contact list 4 times.

Make sure his PC is up to date with Windows updates, virus updates and it is reccomended that email passwords get changed.

06-23-2009, 10:14 AM

It's really a drag that this type of stuff exists, but it gives reason to stay up-to-date on your security patches and a/v dat files.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&r...&aq=f&oq=&aqi=

SeanGAR · 06-23-2009, 10:24 AM

Focus, man, focus.

Don't worry about the rogue email or trojan or virus, it's the Democrat that I'm worried about.

If I email you, along with the rest of my email list, a Christmas card, you'll have those names on your computer. It is possible that the program collected your brothers contacts from your uncle's computer that way. In any case, your uncle needs to have his computer cleaned up asap. And that Democrat .... well, I say send him a couple of Coulter books.

06-18-2009, 03:31 PM	#1
AAlmeter F.U.B.O. Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Adam Location: Buffalo Posts: 288 Trading: (0)	IT/Virus??/Email help Strange situation we have here... My uncle (bored and retired) sends out frequent emails of jokes, politics, etc. I never really paid any attention to the recipients until last week. He sent out an anti-Obama email. Then someone with a rather unusual first name hit "reply-all" so I was copied on it. I also noticed that this person mentioned his affiliations with the Democratic party. Kind of odd, as I know one of my brother's friends had this first name and had worked for the local Dem party. Today, a similar situation happened, but I bothered to look at the entire list of who my uncle is forwarding these emails to. There are a lot of my brother's personal and professional contacts on that list, and my uncle knows none of them (he lives in NM, we're in NY). I quickly forwarded the email to my brother, who is not copied on the emails to alert him to this fact. It appears as though somehow my uncle has my brother's email address book and is unknowingly bulk emailing some emails to these people. Another email I received today from my uncle on the subject of tort reform was only sent to select people (uncle's family and friends), so these emails are not automatically being copied to everyone. Also, my brother is always especially careful with his email, and I have no record of any sort of contact between him and my uncle via email. Any thoughts on this one? Ghosts maybe?

06-23-2009, 10:00 AM	#2
RBOrrell Still Watching My Back Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Bruce Location: Aurora, Ontario, Canada Posts: 130 Trading: (6)	Re: IT/Virus??/Email help What does he use for email? Does he use the web-based Hotmail or a web application based on Hotmail? There is a known issue where a web-based virus/spammer takes over the address book in Hotmail based accounts and sends out email to everyone in the address book. I had this hit me and by the time I caught it, it went through my contact list 4 times. Make sure his PC is up to date with Windows updates, virus updates and it is reccomended that email passwords get changed. __________________ Bruce "Hurry Hardddddddd"

06-23-2009, 10:14 AM	#3
nozero Guest Posts: n/a	Re: IT/Virus??/Email help It's really a drag that this type of stuff exists, but it gives reason to stay up-to-date on your security patches and a/v dat files. http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&r...&aq=f&oq=&aqi=

06-23-2009, 10:24 AM	#4
SeanGAR Crotchety Geezer Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Radford VA Posts: 911 Trading: (3)	Re: IT/Virus??/Email help Focus, man, focus. Don't worry about the rogue email or trojan or virus, it's the Democrat that I'm worried about. If I email you, along with the rest of my email list, a Christmas card, you'll have those names on your computer. It is possible that the program collected your brothers contacts from your uncle's computer that way. In any case, your uncle needs to have his computer cleaned up asap. And that Democrat .... well, I say send him a couple of Coulter books. __________________ How can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat?