suspicious looking emails

Former Member

not sure if i posted it here.

kind of pulling my hair riht now and i can't be asked to search the forum.

but i keep getting these emails from people in my contacts list, and they look like suspicious links with forign writing underneath.

just wondering how i can fix this, and can i be infected with a virus?

Former Member

It wont be you that is infected with a virus, its more than likely that their email accounts have been compromised.

Former Member

It could also be spoof emails. Like a virus has hit a 4th party computer and is using the 3rd party computer to spam out emails, even though the 3rd party (your friend) is clean.

Former Member

Monserrat wrote: »

It could also be spoof emails. Like a virus has hit a 4th party computer and is using the 3rd party computer to spam out emails, even though the 3rd party (your friend) is clean.

If its using a 3rd party computer to spam out email, then its surely virus infected'? :P

Former Member

G-Raffe wrote: »

If its using a 3rd party computer to spam out email, then its surely virus infected'? :P

It's called spoofing. An infected computer (perhaps a friend of a friend's) will spoof the "From" field as your friend's (uninfected), to make you think that it was your friend who sent the spam.

Former Member

Then it wouldnt be using the 3rd party computer then :P

Former Member

Simple laymen's terms, G-Raffe:

Let's say that your auntie has all of your relatives in her contacts.

Your auntie's computer gets the virus described in Avatar's post.

The virus uses a random contact on your auntie's machine in the "From" field and dishes out spam to your auntie's contacts list. Let's say that it chose your mum.

Your mum's computer remains uninfected. It's simply your mum's address is now being used to cloak the real identity. The real identity being your auntie's computer.

You need to understand this because virii do get more sophisticated and potentially get you fooled again.

Former Member

Monserrat wrote: »

It could also be spoof emails. Like a virus has hit a 4th party computer and is using the 3rd party computer to spam out emails, even though the 3rd party (your friend) is clean.

Oh I understand completely, what got me confused is where you said it uses the 3rd party to spam out emails.

When infact the 3rd party doesnt send anything out at all

Former Member

thanks for the advice guys.

any way i can get rid of them?

Former Member

Block them in your filter lists. Use Thunderbird or something g similar to scan emails as you receive them, deleting ones it thinks are fake/infected. Or just ignore them/new email.

Former Member

G-Raffe wrote: »

Oh I understand completely, what got me confused is where you said it uses the 3rd party to spam out emails.

When infact the 3rd party doesnt send anything out at all

No probs dude! These virii are getting more sophisticated, not technologically but in terms of social engineering. So as long as you're on top of the current virus tricks, then will be able to see through a lot of the future tricks.