So Spam comes from a Random Email Address... or does it?

[DealSpree]

Okay so I have an email account with hotmail. And today I started getting lots of undeliverable messages, so I look at them, and I didn't send any of them. Someone used my hotmail account email address to send out tons of spam, and now I am getting all these undeliverables.

So here are my questions...

1) Even though I didn't send the email, when people report spam, is msn going to shut down my hotmail account?
1a) Is there any way if my account is cut off, that I can get it back on?
2) Is there away to stop all these undeliverables?
3) Has this ever happened to anyone else?

Thanks

 

[KEV1N]

Are there attachments? There is an email worm out there that masquerades itself as an undeliverable message.

 

[geekender]

Send an e-mail to abuse@hotmail.com and support@hotmail.com. They can answer a lot of your questions.

 

[DealSpree]

there are attachments, they include the original email which was for Norton Systemworks. I have Norton AV on my computer, and I don't open attachments from people I don't know, so I am sure I dont have a virus on my computer.

Do people actually respond to those. I've sent them email before to complain about spam, and never got a responce

 

[geekender]

You don't have to have the virus (Klez?). It looks in their address book and masquerades as you. You only have to be listed in thier address book.

 

[tk149]

Originally posted by: DealSpree
there are attachments, they include the original email which was for Norton Systemworks. I have Norton AV on my computer, and I don't open attachments from people I don't know, so I am sure I dont have a virus on my computer.

Do people actually respond to those. I've sent them email before to complain about spam, and never got a responce

I reported some spam to abuse@yahoo.com, and got this reply:

Hello,

Thank you for writing to Yahoo! Mail.

In this particular case, and based upon similar reports, we have taken
appropriate action against the Yahoo! account in question, as per our
Terms of Service (TOS). Please know that Yahoo! is unable to disclose
the action taken on another user's account with a third party. We are
not able to make exceptions to this rule.

If in the future you receive an unwanted email message that appears to
derive from a Yahoo! Mail account, please include the following in your
report of mail abuse to assist us in a prompt and full evaluation:

1) Original subject line -- please forward the email with a subject
identical to the original subject.

2) Complete headers -- email programs often display abbreviated
headers.
To learn how to display the full headers in a Yahoo! Mail account,
please visit the Yahoo! Mail Help Desk at:

http://help.yahoo.com/help/us/mail/config/config-11.html

If you are using a different client to read your email, please consult
your email program's help system for more information on viewing full
headers.

3) Complete message body -- please include the complete, unedited
content of the email message in question. Please do not change or edit
the message in any way.

If reports of email abuse are missing any one of these three items, it
may take longer for the Yahoo! Mail Abuse Team to properly investigate
and take appropriate action. We appreciate your efforts in reporting
this abuse to Yahoo!. Due to security restrictions of our custom
messaging system, we request that you simply forward a copy of the
message on to us as opposed to sending it in an attachment.

Thank you again for contacting Yahoo! Customer Care.

Regards,

Yahoo! Customer Care
http://www.yahoo.com/