I so didn't need this
I woke up this rainy Sunday morning to the news that my e-mail address book had been hacked. Everyone - friends, businesses, professional contacts - was sent a prurient message under my name. I was embarrassed, mortified and totally distraught.
Repairing the damage has taken hours. I've deleted my entire address book, emptied the cache and am in the process of resetting my password. That reset is the thorniest problem because my account was started in the 1990s and I can't remember all the security information - such as what credit card I used then. AOL is now free and I haven't paid that bill in years and have no record. The security question was about schools. I have no idea what I wrote back then. I've been to a zillion schools. I entered as many as I could recall, but then I was cut off for 24 hours because I had used up the allowed attempts. It's probably not a problem now that I have no active address book.....
You do not want this to happen to you! Two friends were hacked a few days ago so this may, in fact, be a virus. If you know any precautionary measures, use them. It is a humbling experience....
Repairing the damage has taken hours. I've deleted my entire address book, emptied the cache and am in the process of resetting my password. That reset is the thorniest problem because my account was started in the 1990s and I can't remember all the security information - such as what credit card I used then. AOL is now free and I haven't paid that bill in years and have no record. The security question was about schools. I have no idea what I wrote back then. I've been to a zillion schools. I entered as many as I could recall, but then I was cut off for 24 hours because I had used up the allowed attempts. It's probably not a problem now that I have no active address book.....
You do not want this to happen to you! Two friends were hacked a few days ago so this may, in fact, be a virus. If you know any precautionary measures, use them. It is a humbling experience....
Hey Barbara, I'm not sure you need to do the whole password thing. I didn't change mine and I believe the emails quit going out from Yahoo although later they went out from my hotmail account. The hackers hit just about everyone at some time or other. I just don't open the emails that don't come with a signature so I knew what the ones were from you and didn't open them. You are not the first and you won't be the last. I did have one blogging buddy think I did it on purpose and no longer converse with her. She should have known me well enough from blogging and emailing that I wouldn't have sent those emails jusst as I am sure you didn't. At least you didn't get hit with the virus I did several days ago that asked for all my personal info everytime I used a bank or paypal or other financial address. I had to wipe out my computer to get rid of it.
ReplyDeleteSo don't worry, most of us don't believe you sent these. Hope you don't get one from me but I bet you did in the past. Life on the web - one bit of excitement after another!
Hi Timaree -- I'm trying to repair the damage and just roll with it, but I'm mostly flipping out!
ReplyDeleteInteresting shape =)
ReplyDeleteHi Alex - You start with a dot in the center and build from there!
ReplyDelete