How did my email account send dodgy links to my entire contacts list?

[BelleDameSansMerci]

Can anyone tell me how this could have happened please? I have changed my email password (and those with same on other accounts) but I just don't understand how it happened...

What anti-virus software do you have?

What software (if any) is used to access the email account? For example: Outlook, Outlook Express?
Or is it a web based email system, like hotmail, gmail?

I have an AOL email address and I kept getting messages from friends that 'I' was spamming them. I had my password saved in the 'remember password' box. I changed it and didn't save it, it hasn't happened since.

Are you sure your email system sent the messages? The From: part could have been forged. Is there anyone on your contacts list who didn't get the message?

Twice lately I have received emails from friends email addresses that have now been from them, both their emails had been hacked and everyone in their address books got emails with links to odd sites

It's my Yahoo account. I access it via the web from work pc which has all sorts of security and my home pc has Kaspersky. I also access from my iPad. I have no idea how this has happened. Hey ho.

Yahoo suggest changing password. It could be as simple as someone or software guessing your password.

Thank you. I have changed the password now. And on other accounts, etc.

I had this only yesterday. Had an innocent looking email from a friend. Opened it to find some random link. Then started receiving messages from undelivered emails that I didn't remember sending. Opening the innocent looking email immediately forwarded it on to my entire contacts list. It was very hard to avoid because it was a perfectly normal looking email. I don't know what else it's done.

Thank you. Maybe that's what I did?

I had this on a yahoo account, which I also used to leave logged in. As well as changing your password you should change all secret question and account recovery information. I also sign out completely every time now.

I haven't had any more problems since.

Thanks Imp - appreciate that advice.

I have just had this happen to me - had email from friend with a link which I opened and since then have had lots of postmaster undelivered mail messages. A few people have emailed to say it seems I've been hit by a virus and Windows has contacted me to say that based on activity they suggest changing password which I have done.

I don't want to get hysterical about this but friend said that if hacker were on the other end of the website that I had opened up then they could possibly have an eye on future use including being able to work out passwords entered in secrecy.

Does this mean that whatever you change your password to they may still be able to gain access?

My dd's 66 yo music teacher is going to be very impressed by the very suggestive link that I apparently sent her!

Bloody hell, maggie. That's a good point... And I don't know the answer. I'll find out from our lovely techy at work tomorrow.

I suddenly feel infected by a nasty itch that I can't get rid off - hopefully things aren't that bad.

Hi Belle, did you get a chance to ask your techy person?

No, sorry. I'm actually in the office, in person, tomorrow (a rare event) so will ask then...