I am having the same issue. I am using Outlook 2007 on XP on my desktop. I checked the SENT folder and the SPAM messages are not there. I checked the SENT folder on the Verizon WEBMAIL and the spam messages are all there. So the problem then is just related to webmail. I am going to delete all of my contacts on webmai to stop the spamming and just use the Outlook agent on my desktop. Poor job by Verizon Tech Support.
I am having same problem and have had it in the past. Only way I've found to stop it is empty my address book. Did that a while ago, but started making entries again. Within days messages started going out from me via Verizon Mobile (which I don't have.)
That solution solves the hijacking problem but loses an important email feature.
Does anyone at Verizon read these comments?
I am having the same issue as all of you. I changed password as Verizon Support suggested but still the emails keep being sent even after I deleted contacts and everything else in the email account. I contacted Support as I want to delete the account. It is the primary email account on the verizon account and there is no way to do it on the UI. Verizon Support did not know how to do it. I then emailed support and got a bogus scripted response. **bleep**!
Had this happen to me today. Have you found a resolution. I haven't found a phone number to call Verizon yet, still looking.
@Maltese wrote:Had this happen to me today. Have you found a resolution. I haven't found a phone number to call Verizon yet, still looking.
1-800-VERIZON
The same thing happened to me a few months ago on one account, and is now happening on another. Details:
- Back in March - started getting bounced emails from now-invalid email addresses
- They did include the "Sent using Verizon.net Mobile" at the bottom
- They were showing up on my wife's mobile phone's Sent box.
At first I thought maybe he phone had a virus, but it's a "feature phone", not a smart phone, and isn't really subject to viruses, and also she was pretty sure that when some of the emails were being sent that her phone was off.
Then checked Webmail and voila - there it was. The same sent emails were in the same Sent box. And the emails all went to the exact same contacts as in our Verizon Webmail contact list. This list was different than the contact list on her phone.
I deleted the contacts (which we generally don't use) from our Webmail, and voila - no more spam emails. So it definitely appears Verizon's mail server was being hacked. And not just once - if someone had only hacked it once to steal the email addresses, then the spam wouldn't show up in our Sent box. No either their servers were hacked continuously, or there's a virus that continues to live on their servers.
Now I find that the same thing has apparently happened again. This time though it actually is using the contact list from her phone. I thought this contact list was only on the phone itselff, but I'm guessing it's actually synchronized on their servers, and those servers have been hacked now. This is a different contact list though.
I'll post more updates as I find out...
Update - turns out it wasn't the same contact list as from her phone. Instead it was the old contact list, plus a few new addresses added.
It seems to be a mystery. I did get an email header from someone, but the address chain is:
VAPP8 ([unknown] [172.18.12.132])
--->
vms173017.mailsrvcs.net
--->
<recipient>
This same path was used for two spam emails, two days apart.
It looks like it may have originated from a (Verizon?) email server, so indeed appears to be a virus on one of their servers, from what I can tell.
I don't see any emails in any of our Sent boxes. So its behavior is a bit different than before. It could be that it's the same virus, just run from a different server, and also instead of picking up emails from contact lists, is now picking them out of emails themselves.
Same thing here. No solutions, but people are getting angry with me!
Im not sure if this is related - But I suspect it is. I have an 11 digit random password. Its long, but its a good read.
Note that I do not maintain any verizon contact list that I am aware of. No messages were in my sent/trash/deleted folders. There are over 13000 emails in my inbox.
Today I received a letter from Verizon. It reads as follows:
__________BEGIN_________
RE: Attention Required - Your Verizon Online Account
Dear Valued Verizon Customer:
Verizon works hard to protect our customers information and keep you apprised of issues related to your account. Therefore, we are writing to inform you that we have identified unusual activity related to your Verizon e-mail account that indicates your email account may have been used by an unknown third part to send spam messages.
As a protective measure, we have disabled access to the account by resetting your existing password. Please act now to log in and create a new password through Verizons verification procedures. Do not reuse your previous passwords and, be sure to pick as password for your verizon account that is different from the credentials you use to secure other non-Verizon accounts. When you reset your password, we urge you to create a strong password that is not easily guessed. You should make the password at least 8 characters in length, use a combination of upper and lower case letters, and include at least one number. Do not use a password that contains words such as "password" "admin" "default" or that contains your name or any other similar text that a third party might guess.
We have notified governmental authorities of our findings and are taking appropriate steps to investigate the unauthorized access. We sincerely regret any inconvenience this may have caused you but helping you maintain the security of your account information is important to us.
You can easily and securely reactivate your account online at myverizon.com/entermypin. Verizon chat representatives will be available to assist you with the reactivation process. If you need further assistance please call, Monday through Friday 8AM-8PM Eastern to speak with a Verizon customer service representative.
Sincerely,
Your Verizon Team.
__________________end________________
There were over 13000 emails in the inbox. The reject notifications started July 8th and continued until the 18th (19th?). I have never used the account with outlook - only web.
I called 800-verizon to straighten it out. The rep supposedly knew nothing of the letter, and found it odd that no mention of my phone number or account number was made in the letter. He did not know anything about the PO box the letters return address has (Its no where to be found -- PO Box 31315 Salt Lake City, UT 84131-0315) nor did 800-verizon know anything about that 888 number. I called the number from a non-traceable to me line - I reached an office and the lady claimed she was in "East Coast Texas." When I pressed the issue of what her office did she hung up. Repeat calls yielded the same result. Im not saying the number is not legit - but I wouldnt go giving them any information; call 800-verizon so you can be certain of who you are dealing with. They did turn my email back on (which I rarely if ever use...)
Im left wonder what "governmental authorities" they have notified and what exactly they told them........???
Im thinking verizon has a HUGE problem and they are going to try to pass the buck on "weak"passwords like my 11 digit random number/upper/lower case, which would normally be more secure but as has been pointed out they dont allow symbols for some odd reason.
Anyone??
Blade
Well Folks... Looks like this is a HUGE problem for Verizon. If you noticed, there are NO responses to these posts. Which implise to me that they have no idea how to fix it. It is NOT a problem with your password. It is NOT a problem with your computer. It looks like somehow the spammer has been able to trace previously sent emails by you on the VERIZON server and copied these addresses for them to start spamming with you as the sender. At least with my problem, the addresses are all addresses that I sent an email to in the last few months. If I have an address in my address book that I haven't sent anything to in a while, then it doesn't get the spam. Which rules out the fact that my address book was hacked.
So, unless Verizon Techs are wizards, it looks like this is not going to go away. Probably just get worse as your email gets circulated around in SPAM world.
My suggestion is.... Change your email address to some other provider, i.e. yahoo, gmail, hotmail, etc,. Send a notification to all your contacts to make the change, and don't use your Verizon e-mail address again!!! Just changing your password will not help.
Start a new topic or ask questions in the open forum.
