Is there a problem on my Computer?……..

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I get these messages, pictured below, from time to time in my “message center” on my ISP’s website. My ISP provides the extra service to ‘trap’ virus-laden messages. So, are these messages generated by other people who are infected and happen to have my email address in their address book, or do I cause these messages to happen from my own computer? I have run every check possible and haven’t turned up the first virus, spyware, etc. so it puzzles me about what actually generates these malicious emails. I am just hoping I haven’t missed something on my system.

TIA for an explanation!

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That message says that someone sent you an email with an Excel file attached and the Excel file contained a virus. In the snapshot you sent the persons email address was utragina@aol.com. That could mean that that person sent you the email and their system is infected with a virus which is being included in the file. It could also mean that someone is spoofing that email address, so you don’t have any idea who sent the message. In either case, you should delete the file without opening it. If you know the person whose email address is shown, you should check with them. If they sent the email, then tell them that their system may be infected. If they didn’t send it, tell them that someone is spoofing their email address. If you don’t know the person, there isn’t much you can do.

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That message says that someone sent you an email with an Excel file attached and the Excel file contained a virus. In the snapshot you sent the persons email address was utragina@aol.com. That could mean that that person sent you the email and their system is infected with a virus which is being included in the file. It could also mean that someone is spoofing that email address, so you don’t have any idea who sent the message. In either case, you should delete the file without opening it. If you know the person whose email address is shown, you should check with them. If they sent the email, then tell them that their system may be infected. If they didn’t send it, tell them that someone is spoofing their email address. If you don’t know the person, there isn’t much you can do.

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The message shows that the quarantined item is an e-mail sent to you, not by you. The most probable explanation is that the system of someone who has your e-mail address in his/her address book has become infected, and this may have spread your e-mail address further. Since you ran a check, it is highly unlikely that your own system is infected. There’s not much you can do against this annoyance.

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Hi Hans and Legare Coleman,

No, I won’t open them and rather figured this one probably was generated from someone else BUT here is another one which just arrived on the website “pretending” to have come from me and was undeliverable. I am on dial-up so I know it wasn’t sent out by me to this person and of course I don’t know either of these people. So would this also be coming from another? I usually just delete them and go on but with this new forum, I thought I would double check on what, if any, action I should be taking? (yep, Norton virus up to date and all spyware, etc. has been checked and indicating that my system is clean).

Thanks again for ‘revisiting’ this question!

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If you did not send that email, and you are sure that there is not a virus on your system that could be sending it, then someone is spoofing your email address. I don’t really know what you can do about that other than change your email address.

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If you did not send that email, and you are sure that there is not a virus on your system that could be sending it, then someone is spoofing your email address. I don’t really know what you can do about that other than change your email address.

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Again, it is most likely that someone else’s computer has been infected. Some of these e-mail viruses take an e-mail address from the address book on the infected PC, and send out a mail that looks as if it is from that address, to yet another address from the address book. In other words, someone else has “Skitterbug” in his/her address book, and now the virus sends an e-mail from that computer with “Skitterbug” as sender! So you’re not the culprit.

Sometimes, you can find out whose system has been infected, and warn them, but in many cases, you won’t be able to find out, or it is the computer of someone you don’t even know…

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Thanks to you both!! I have had these messages off and on but not in any numbers that would cause me a problem other then the worry that I may be the culprit. What really is amazing is how far and wide a person’t email address travels through the network!! And to cut down on possible problems, I use a junk email address for any forms, etc. that I mess with – which isn’t much to begin with!

But anyway, thanks again!! And have a great day!

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Skitterbug,
This also shows that your AV program is doing it’s job properly by intercepting the infected messages. Feel good about that !

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Skitterbug,
This also shows that your AV program is doing it’s job properly by intercepting the infected messages. Feel good about that !

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Hi Skitterbug

I don’t know about your email or system being infected, but I hope you’ve run a virus scan on that little guy under your name.
Can’t be too careful…….West Nile you know……

Have a Great day!!!
Ken

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Hi Skitterbug

I don’t know about your email or system being infected, but I hope you’ve run a virus scan on that little guy under your name.
Can’t be too careful…….West Nile you know……

Have a Great day!!!
Ken

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Thanks to you both!! I have had these messages off and on but not in any numbers that would cause me a problem other then the worry that I may be the culprit. What really is amazing is how far and wide a person’t email address travels through the network!! And to cut down on possible problems, I use a junk email address for any forms, etc. that I mess with – which isn’t much to begin with!

But anyway, thanks again!! And have a great day!

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Again, it is most likely that someone else’s computer has been infected. Some of these e-mail viruses take an e-mail address from the address book on the infected PC, and send out a mail that looks as if it is from that address, to yet another address from the address book. In other words, someone else has “Skitterbug” in his/her address book, and now the virus sends an e-mail from that computer with “Skitterbug” as sender! So you’re not the culprit.

Sometimes, you can find out whose system has been infected, and warn them, but in many cases, you won’t be able to find out, or it is the computer of someone you don’t even know…

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Hi Hans and Legare Coleman,

No, I won’t open them and rather figured this one probably was generated from someone else BUT here is another one which just arrived on the website “pretending” to have come from me and was undeliverable. I am on dial-up so I know it wasn’t sent out by me to this person and of course I don’t know either of these people. So would this also be coming from another? I usually just delete them and go on but with this new forum, I thought I would double check on what, if any, action I should be taking? (yep, Norton virus up to date and all spyware, etc. has been checked and indicating that my system is clean).

Thanks again for ‘revisiting’ this question!

Reply | Quote

The message shows that the quarantined item is an e-mail sent to you, not by you. The most probable explanation is that the system of someone who has your e-mail address in his/her address book has become infected, and this may have spread your e-mail address further. Since you ran a check, it is highly unlikely that your own system is infected. There’s not much you can do against this annoyance.

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