Posted by Hugh Nations Signing Agents of Austin on 4/2/07 11:49am
Msg #183360

OT, BMN, DOYVOHTAYA

(Off topic, but maybe not, depending on your view or how tight-a$$ed you are)

I sometimes get emails like this:

***The following addresses have delivery notifications -----
<[e-mail address]> (failed: Bad destination mailbox address)***

by which I gather that somehow someone has hijacked my computer and is sending out messages I know nothing of, since I know I sent nothing to such an address. Can someone with more expertise than I offer some insight?

Reply by Mary_CT on 4/2/07 11:56am
Msg #183364

Hugh,

They have not "hijacked your computer"- they have lifted your email address and put it on their emails as the "reply to."

Happens all the time to companies that are using the Internet for advertising spam and not expecting return emails.

Mary

Reply by MikeC/NY on 4/2/07 11:59am
Msg #183365

<< by which I gather that somehow someone has hijacked my computer and is sending out messages I know nothing of >>

Either hijacked your computer, or is using your email address as the reply-to address for the spam they're sending out (I've the latter happen to me).

Scan your computer for viruses and spyware, and consider getting a software firewall that scans outbound traffic (like ZoneAlarm, whcih is free) if you don't have one already one. The firewall that comes with Windows XP only scans inbound traffic, not programs that are attempting to send info out of your computer.

Reply by ewing2surf on 4/2/07 12:25pm
Msg #183370

Hugh I had the same problem. Dozens of bounce back messages were in my in box everyday replying to [e-mail address]. I stopped the problem with a personal firewall in my Norton Internet Security. I can turn off the firewall for 5 minutes, 1/2 hour, 3 hours etc. and the messages stopped immediately