The trick with hotmail accounts is to use a random mixture of 3 or 4 additional letters and numbers somewhere within your chosen account name. Make it up in a way that automatic name generators cannot guess the name. you could spell your name backwards, or use any other simple method to make up a unique address. (Remember that you can still show your real name as the name that recipients see on incoming mail)
Also, as suggested in the "secretive motorist thread", have separate accounts which you use for business, friends, and "public" use on the internet. Finally, set your spam filters on hotmail such that only the people you approve of can reply to you. For example, on one of my hotmail addresses, it is set "exclusive", which rejects mail from anyone whose e-mail address is not on my approved list.
With these precautions, I get absolutely no spam getting through to my hotmail!
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The last time I used hotmail, it had a "email address" directory. Therefore whatever address you have, it is guaranteed to be filled with spam as advertisers just get a list straight from hotmail. I am not sure if this is still the case as I have not used any hotmail account for a year!
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There are some tick-boxes in the Hotmail sign-up process that give Microsoft permission to use your details for 'trusted associates' or somesuch. I wouldn't trust MS with my sandwiches, so make sure you untick anything like that (you can do it retrospectively I believe, although that may be shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted!).
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JBJ: What you are referring to is the "netpassport" scheme. This allows YOU to choose to have a common signing in process for members of the passport scheme, so that you can move from one to another without having to sign in on every individual web site and give your details every time. It is a genuine trustworthy scheme. Do not believe every conspiracy theory about MS - they have become ultra-clean and careful since the anti-trust "unfair competition" lawsuit brought against them by Netscape.
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Your faith in Microsoft is touching, MB. I grant you that they get plenty of flak, but much of it seems to be deserved. Try reading www.woodyswatch.com/windows/archtemplate.asp?5-18 on 'spy' fields in Word...
They also retrospectively 'ticked the boxes' for all existing Hotmail customers without first asking them, and they talk about 'trustworthy computing'!
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With regard to 'approved addresses' on hotmail accounts - I deleted everyone from my address book after some virus sent a particularly nasty email to them all, which appeared to have been sent by me!
HF
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HF,
Sounds like the 'BugBear' virus which I don't think can be blamed on any particular e-mail account.
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I expect you're right Dizzy. Also, at the time, I was using a public computer which probably wasn't very secure.
HF>>Sounds like the 'BugBear' virus which I don't think can be blamed on any particular e-mail account.
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Hi HF
I'm making a guess about what happened here....but
This virus is a pain HF and from experience you will probably find this email that supposedly came from you had nothing whatsoever to do with your own PC and is out of your control.
What happens is Bugbear infects a machine and sends out mass emails with various content but what it cleverly does is mask the "From" part of the email to make it appear from another email address thus making it harder to trace.
The effect of this is you receive the email (plus virus) from Xxxxx when chances are they had nothing to do with it and it didn't even come from their machine. We have received emails supposedly from people we know in this way and have also received emails complaining that our own account has been sending viruses out. Looking closely at the header info etc shows this isn't the case at all. If you've ever used your email address to register on any website etc and they've picked the virus up this is often where this can arise from and it's very hard to do anything about it.
It's a bit like having cloned number plates from your car put on someone else's dodgy motor!
It's quietened down on that front now as people slowly get their virus software up to date...
Dan
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Hi Dan J,
it sounds like what you're saying is what must have happened to me! Was VERY embarrassing at the time though! What you say makes a lot of sense, and I definitely think that's the explanation behind my owm experience!
Luckily, having my own PC now, I think and hope that it's adequately protected to avoid a repetition of the above.
Just as an afterthought, since I installed ZomeAlarm, due to a very wise and wonderful suggestion from a member of this forum, I do (hope not speaking too soon) seem pretty well protected. The other day, a mate sent me an email attachment which, I later found out from him, was supposed to be a spoof virus which made the reader believe their computer had failed, when it really hadn't. My comp wouldn't even let me open the attachment, so I now feel pretty safe. But if anyone gets obscene emails from me at anytime, be aware that it's a virus, not me!
HF
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HF - ZoneAlarm is a firewall, not a virus checker. It essentially stops "intruders" hacking into your computer. I think you probably know this anyway, but just thought I would clarify for you.
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HF - ZoneAlarm is a firewall, not a virus checker. It essentially stops "intruders" hacking into your computer. I think you probably know this anyway, but just thought I would clarify for you.
Smokie, thanks - maybe it wasn't ZoneAlarm after all, but SOMETHING wouldn't let me open that email, telling me it contained a virus!
Maybe it was just my anti-virus checker doing its job :)
Thanks for your reply
HF
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Well whatever virus checker you might be using, just make sure you keep updating the definitions every so often.
Just out of interest, the Symantec security threat page securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/vinfodb.htm...t lists 14 new viruses/trojans since Monday. So although there is NO WAY you can always be totally immune, regular updates will help.
Your mail attachment might have been blocked by Outlook 2002/XP, which by default removes all potentially harmful attachments (notably anything that can "execute" on your computer). While it is a marvellous idea, it's a bit annoying when it deletes something you actually wanted!
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Thanks, Smokie.
The '14 new viruses since Monday' is a little alarming, isn't it??! Knew they were about, but not so prolific or in such abundance.
I DO let my system do regular updates, whenever it asks me if I want one.
I only have Windows 98, btw, so my Outlook I guess is no newer than that, so I guess I can't have Outlook 2002/XP. So, I'm still guessing that it's my anti-virus thing that's doing all this. And as you say, it's fanastic, but just a little annoying when it refuses me access to something I'd like to see! Still, better safe than sorry, I guess.
Dynamic, coincidentally, the anti-virus program that I have is the one you quoted. Was recommended to me a while ago by one who is very knowledgable about computers. So, I trust it and it's given me no grief up till now (fingers crossed, touching wood etc)I wonder how long you've had this program and whether, just for once, I beat you to it?!!! I kind of know the answer though....
HF
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I wonder how long you've had this program and whether, just for once, I beat you to it?!!!
HF, sometime last July, IIRC. Prior to that I was using Innoculate, but they started to charge for updates, so went over to Grisoft.
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Hehehe, I got mine a year ago!!!
HF
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If you require a free virus checker with regular free updates, I can recommend Grisoft AGV. www.grisoft.com
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If you require a free virus checker with regular free updates, I can recommend Grisoft AGV. www.grisoft.com
i'll second that Dave - i use the free version at home and we use the paid for network version at work
I have to grow old - but I don't have to grow up
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Depends which version:=
ZoneAlarm Pro's MailSafe? feature protects you from new viruses, worms, and other malware distributed in e-mail attachments. It also protects you from any old, known threats.
Martin
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