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KingoftheGrill's avatar
KingoftheGrill
New Contributor

Why am I getting hundreds of returned emails from messages I didn't send?

Was my account hacked? I am receiving HUNDREDS of messages like t

From: Mail Administrator <Postmaster@cox.net>  
Date: Monday, July 18, 2016 12:18 PM
To: leo.wiltshire@cox.net 
Subject: Mail System Error - Returned Mail
Size: 7 KB
Attachments: 
to accept it (the error message is reproduced below).  This type of error 
is usually due to a mis-configured account or mail delivery system on the 
destination computer; however, it could be caused by your message since 
some mail systems refuse messages with invalid header information, or if 
they are too large. 
 
Your message was rejected by mail.les2alpes.com for the following reason: 
 
     Cyberoam Anti Spam Engine has identified this email as a spam. Ref-id:str=0
001.0A0B0201.578D0157.0022,ss=4,re=0.000,recu=0.000,reip=0.000,cl=4,cld=1,fgs=8 

 
The following recipients did not receive this message: 
 
     <communication@les2alpes.com> 
  
 Please reply to <Postmaster@cox.net> 
 if you feel this message to be in error.
Open Attachment [] 
--- Forwarded Message ---
Date:
[Mon, 18 Jul 2016 19:18:25 +0300]
From: ev.cuomo <leo.wiltshire@cox.net> 
To: Clevacances Isere <invite+AZXYuY3VvbW9Ab3JhbmdlLmZy@facebookmail.com>, Clevacances Isere <tibo.clevacances@bbox.fr>, Communication - Les 2 Alpes Communication <communication@les2alpes.com>, Contacts Thermes Adour <reservation.thermesadour@outlook.fr>, Corinne ROUILLER <crouiller@laforet.com> 
Subject: Mail System Error - Returned Mail 

Hey,

 

I think I have a very good news, it's gonna be a surprise for you, I am sure you will love it! More info here http://deal.alisssandra.com/e2rvhkex

 

Sincerely yours, ev.cuomo@orange.fr

I've been getting hundreds of these every day for the past several and they are clogging up my account. It looks like they are emailed bouncing back, but I never sent them in the first place. I ran a virus scan on my computer and it came up clean. What is going on and how do I fix it?

Was my account hacked and someone is using my account to send out spam? 

Mail System Error - Returned Mail

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  • AllenP's avatar
    AllenP
    Valued Contributor

    Yes, almost a certainty your e-mail account has been hacked.  First thing to do is sign on to your e-mail and CHANGE THE PASSWORD.  If you can't sign in, that means the hacker has taken control of your account and changed the password, contact Cox to have the account disabled.  Also, change the password in any other accounts where you use your Cox e-mail.  Frequently, when a hacker breaks an account, they try the same e-mail/password combo on other sites as many people use the same password.

  • Becky's avatar
    Becky
    Moderator
    Hi King,

    I agree with each of Allen's suggestions. Please let us know if our team can be of assistance or answer other questions. We're happy to help in any way that we can!

  • Pineydic's avatar
    Pineydic
    New Contributor

    I have change my password 4 times in less than a month and still it hasn't stopped the returned emails.  I don't want to lose my email address.  What is the fix to this problem? I have run virus scans and malware scans and no problems found.  I have had this email address since 1995 and within a month, I get the mail administrator returned emails.  Please help me resolve this problem ASAP.

  • DerrickW's avatar
    DerrickW
    Valued Contributor
    Do you use an email client or are you using Webmail?
  • wildcatfan's avatar
    wildcatfan
    New Contributor

    I have also experienced this in the past few days. 30-50 returned emails everyday that i did not send. Please, is there anything you can do to help me keep my email address? I don't want to set up a new account and i don't remember my password. Please help!

  • ChrisL's avatar
    ChrisL
    Former Moderator
    @wildcatfan

    If you're not sending these email that would suggest that either somebody is sending them from somewhere else and using your email address as the return address or somebody has compromised your account and is sending them from there. There isn't much you can do for the first scenario however I would probably be prudent to change your email password as well as your secret question/answer sets to deal with any possible account breach. Make sure when changing your password that you're not using the same one you use for any other service as how that is usually how passwords get compromised.

  • maroot's avatar
    maroot
    New Contributor

    I am also experiencing this. I have changed my email password, but I started getting the Returned Mail problem within two days. My password for COX is unlike any of my other passwords, so I am at a loss as to how it may have been compromised. Mine are similiar to this:

    *************************************

    Most likely there is a network problem that prevented delivery, but
    it is also possible that the computer is turned off, or does not
    have a mail system running right now.

    Your message was not delivered within 4 days and 0 hours.
    Host 0ia.download is not responding.

    The following recipients did not receive this message:

        <annuities@0ia.download>

    Please reply to <Postmaster@cox.net>
    if you feel this message to be in error.
    Reporting-MTA: dns; eastrmwml108.cox.net
    Arrival-Date: Thu, 21 Jul 2016 19:17:07 -0400
    Received-From-MTA: dns; fed1rmimpo306.cox.net (68.230.241.174)

    Final-Recipient: RFC822; <annuities@0ia.download>
    Action: failed
    Status: 4.4.7
    Remote-MTA: dns; 0ia.download

    From: cowboypoet <maroot@cox.net>
    Subject: Re: true love
    Date: July 21, 2016 at 6:16:43 PM CDT
    To: "Annuities.com" <Annuities.com@marison.xyz>, "Annuities" <Annuities@0ia.download>, "Annuities" <Annuities@annuitiesexclusive.review>, "Annuities" <Annuities@bjo.accountant>, "Annuities" <Annuities@blanch.review>


    Hi,
     
     
    I've just came across that stuff on the web and completely fell in love with it! You've got to see that! Here is the link http://information.rickiaccino.com/aelupbzb
     
    cowboypoet@arizonapoet.com

  • ChrisL's avatar
    ChrisL
    Former Moderator
    @maroot

    Note that if your account was being compromised it can take up to 4 days from changing your passwords before the recipients of these messages stop sending back non-delivery receipts. I'm concerned too however as it appears you've recently had virus activity seen coming from your connection. If that's the case it's possible somebody is recording your keystrokes to access your accounts. You may wish to have your PC's looked at for problems if you haven't already.

  • yak's avatar
    yak
    Contributor III

    @maroot.  You need to do a bit of detective work.  Were the spam emails sent to all of the people on your Address List? If so, the spammers might have gotten into your account.  But they can also get those addresses by getting into your friend's account if you sent out a birthday invitation to everyone on your Address List..... all of the addresses show up in that birthday email.

    If the spam was delivered to strangers, that is better news.  The spammers just set up their computer to enter your address in the FROM and REPLY lines.  They did not get into your account. 

    Look at the very bottom of the bounced email.  On "maroot's" account, the emails said "I just came across this stuff on the web........."   Typical spam.   On "Kingofthegrill's" account, the emails say "I think i have very good news, it's gonna be a surprise for you".  More spam.  The spammers sent out emails using my name saying "You are going to have your bank account closed unless you click on the link".  More spam.

    Go into your webmail and go to Classic Mail.  Click on the blue SETTINGS tab.  Look at the Blocked Addresses. Remove any that you didn't place there.  Then go thru all of your other settings to see that none were disturbed.