Keep getting emails returned that I never sent!!!!!!!!

[greadey]

Hi all,

I've recently been getting returned emails that were never sent by me conciously in the first place.

Is this a sign of infection by e.g worm or is there another more likely scenario.

Thanks,

greadey.

 

[sedj]

Its really easy to spoof email addresses !!!!!!!
Or its probably a virus !!!!!!!
Check the IP addresses of the sender !!!!!!

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Free Database Connection Pooling Software

http://www.primrose.org.uk

 

[sdrasko]

I am getting similar messages all the time, and when I scan them, I see that they are infected by a virus. Scan the attachments of the messages and you will see if they are infected. But update your antivirus software first.
Anyway, if you are sure that you didn't send the message but you received a so called reply, erase it, it is not useful to you for sure.
Regards,
sdrasko

 

[thedaver]

Spammers spoof email addresses all the time. Virii use email addresses found in address books. Mail servers sometimes puke up old email when the admin does something silly.

Don't get too flapped about this, particularly in the case of spam and virii. Just filter and delete.

http://www.surfinbox.com/dir.php

 

[digisikk]

It might not be, that you have a virus on your box. But someone with your adress in their adressbook has one.

The virus then sends itself out using adresses in the infected box as senders. That way, when a machin gets the mail and rejects it. It sends a message back to the sender, which in this case is your adress.

If you know you didnt send it, just delete without opening it.

What...Me??? I don't know... I just pressed the anykey...

 

[w1nn3r]

Dont forget that there are ton's of email virii out there now that will send email from random contacts in an address book from OE, outlook etc.., to a random email address. Netsky is one, WORM_BAGLE is another...there's too many to list. If you have a windows machine that sends mail via smtp through your linux server check it for virii and if your clean more than likely someone else has you in the address book and that's why your getting the bounced emails.

 

[greadey]

Thanks for everyone's reply. I ought to let you know that the machine in question is running debian woody and is standalone with intermittent dial up access.

I was made redundant in march and of course had my Cv posted all over the place. Since then I have been getting 150 - 200 spams a day. So from what has been said I guess that a spammer has picked up my address, it has then been obtained by someone else and then used to send emails from ME to others.

Have I got that right?

Cheers,

Greadey

 

[ericbrunson]

That's probably correct.

Spammers also use a technique called 'backscatter' to get spam in front of you. Basically they forge mail from you to a known bad address knowing you will see the bounce and hope you will read the spam.

 

[greadey]

Right that seems sorted then, thanks for everyones' suggestions and help.

Greadey