I got hacked...that is my earthlink main profile got hacked and I cannot get any emails at all. I use a MAC. I was on chat with earthlink today and they provided temp passwords that they emailed to me but guess what??? I can't receive and am at a loss with how to get the MAC to accept the profiles..
Someone else's computer got hacked and swiped emails and somehow was sending spam to only one person that I know of and I think my address was swiped from his system and how they got hold of my password I don't know but earthlink suspended my account to protect it. Now I can't get anywhere...
Are there any computer whizkids here who can help??? I am desperate!!! My doctor appts etc come by email..what a mess. Just one more crumbled cookie in the lunch bag of an Alz spouse life..groan
She needs to be able to access her current mail account because that is the one she has given out and is being used right now.
Mimi, when they said they were mailing you temp passwords, did they mean e-mail or regular mail? Obviously you can't get any e-mail one the account that was hacked. Contact earthlink again to ask how they are getting you the temp passwords.
How did they get your email password. I can't say for sure but here are a few possibilities:
• Since you have a Mac it is probably not from malware on your computer, though a few new virus' are aimed at Macs. They usually work through Adobe Reader or Acrobat (don't install unless you need them), Flash or Java (don't install unless you need it).
• They guessed it. Passwords are usually broken by computers trying many different pw combinations, thousands a second. This is why it is important to have good passwords, at least 16 characters.
• They stole it. Either from AOL or from you using a public computer (or friend's computer) to check your e-mail or using a laptop in a public place or they tricked you into revealing it. If you use the same password for everything they might have gotten the password for another of your accounts and tried it on your e-mail. This is very common.
So get on another chat with Earthlink help and tell them that you need another way to get a temp password.
I don't use public wifi areas at all..I think since only one person said he was getting spam from my primary profile, we have several for other reasons, that it was swiped from his old PC. He is now a MAC user.
I get pestered by those adobe reader alerts...
The passwords were to be sent by email...odd that I can send but not receive.
I don't visit many websites and the ones I do are secure. I also don't order over the internet nor do I do on line banking...
what happened was phishing....and I am pretty much on top of that. It was an alert, from earthlink telling me that my card would not accept the monthly charge and I need to update my account in order to avoid it being suspended. Then this morning guess what? It was suspended by earthlink for security reasons...and I need to change all passwords but I can't get earthlink t o accept my old or the new temp passwords.
I may have to take the laptop in..it could be a zombie. I do have a phone no and will call earthlink in the morning.
I can use the internet as you can see. This is so frustrating.
Sorry Mimi but I have no experience with MAC's. Paul is strong in PC's. His advice is very sound. You should probably call them again and tell them the problem. Alternatively if there is a computer service in your city that has serious MAC skills, perhaps they can take your computer and restore it for you.
Very frustrating. I recommend to most Mac users to remove Adobe Reader. You don't need it, Preview is generally a better PDF reader than Adobe Reader, and Adobe Reader is responsible for many computer vulnerabilities.
This is even more true for Java, but there are enough web sites that require Java to make it a pain to remove it. Apple has been good about updating Safari web browser to better protect you and to force you to update Java as needed.
We have had very alert staff at my office fall victim to phishing. I suspect that someone was using your AOL account from another computer and that no e-mail was generated from your Mac. As a rule, never click on a link in an e-mail, even if from your mother. If you get an email from a bank or vendor enter the url manually into a web browser and never use the supplied link.
Not having online bank accounts might be a security issue itself. I have recently read that if you don't have an online Social Security account someone may open one for you and redirect your SS checks, so you are worse off having a SS online account and not using it than not having a SS online account. I am now wondering if this might also be true for bank accounts. I recommend that if you don't want an online account with any financial institution that you make sure that they have this marked in your account so someone can't open online access to your money. The ability to get information to do this is trivial, all they need is your SS number, your address and your bank account number, all easy to guess.
Mim, I can't help but I too had my email and password compromised...someone stole my password and sending spam, etc from my email account. I called Microsoft and they helped me. I don't have a MAC.