Mike, Your computer has a virus. It just sent a Viagra commercial to my email box. I first noticed this virus two years ago when I began receiving Viagra ads from my cousin Barbara. I asked her if she knew about this and she didn't, but she was able to get it fixed. Your computer will keep sending these things out to your mailing lists until it is removed. ......JO'Co :!:
Jim, I know that messages went out on 6/6 to folks in my contacts file. What bothers me is that I was out of town in Chicago and my PC was off when the emails were sent. I've run a virus scan with no results. Is it possible that the emails are coming from my blackberry?
We need our resident computer/math geeks to check in on that one. The bug is somewhere and it could be on every gadget that you've got if they ever communicated with each other. That's how the bug works. :idea:
I hope Tom check in on this. I think it's possible to steal the persons email and it is not really coming from them. Seems that I had a similar problem a number of years ago, or was getting some email from someone that was not sending them. In other words it may not be coming from Mikes computer at all. If we don't hear from TT I would suggest a similar topic with his name.
I remember checking into this when I purchased my first BlackBerry. This was a new posting around that time. I went back and found the BB discussion. Some good information here with the last post coming about 7 months ago. The below quote came from a then moderator of the Crackberry.com site. To summarize the quote, it is more likely that spyware was installed through a blackberry app that gathered and transmitted e-mail address book and password rather than a standard virus. Mike, Have you installed any new apps lately? Blackberry virus possibility discussion
Tom, prior to smart phones, ipads and all those devices, wasn't there a time when either you or me, and I think some other people on the board here, were getting emails that seemed to be from one of us but were not? Seems I remember something like that.
Tom thanks for the post. I haven't downloaded an app to my BB in a while. The last app I downloaded was a Weather Channel app to my Ipad. As far as I know Ipads don't have virus protection. I do use a dropbox app that has my contacts file from my PC in it. Any ideas how to "cleanse" an Ipad?
Jim, Have you received anything else? Mike, If it is a app that has gathered info, deleting it will stop the flow but the damage has already been done. I would change my password to my e-mail by logging on from another computer somewhere to see if the rash of mails stop.
Mike, you might check out Lookout Mobile Security for Blackberry. I use it on my Android phone...it checks all apps that you download (and scans ones that are already there). Basic version is free. They also have app for iphones but not ipads as of yet, I don't think. Would not regular antivirus programs work ok on iPads?
Stu Thanks for the suggestion. I downloaded Lookout and ran a scan. Didn't find anything. I think that my Ipad may be the problem. I think I call their tech support folks.
I've scanned my home and work PCs. I've downloaded the Lookout program for my BB. I can't find any virus in the PCs. Some of the recipients are not even in my contacts list. Some are old and out of date. Is it possible someone is running a PC I threw out years ago and it's infected? Boy I apologize to everyone who's getting this crap. It looks like Sid, Jo'Co, and Tim were on one list that I saw. Apparently George got one too. So far, I'm stumped. Sorry again.
Mike, I have not received anything today. I alerted you yesterday as soon as it happened, but nothing since then.
Some of these darn things get into somebody else's email, steal an email "list" or contact group that you are on, and then send out to everybody from the other computer masquerading as yours.
Quick follow up: after scanning all possible sources and finding nothing the emails still continued. Some of the addresses were really dated and invalid. It appears my AT&T (formerly Prodigy account) was hacked. The solution was apparently as simple as changing my password. Let me know if any more emails are sent.