Possible Outlook Express bug/virus?

Dave P in StLouis · 9 Jun 2006, 03:10 AM

A friend recently asked me about an odd e-mail problem. It seems the "Reply-to" address in Outlook Express has changed from "maryjones <at> ISP.net" to "work <at> MOMAIL2.mo.gov". She has no recollection of changing the "Reply-to" address. Frankly, I doubt she knows how. Does anyone know anything about this? Is it a bug in Outlook Express? A virus? Plain old user error? Thanks in advance for any help you can give.

markwolk · 20 Jun 2006, 07:06 AM

Not quite sure about this particular bug, but I had another type of bug in OE which fixed itself with the recent Windows update. Make sure your friend's PC is up-to date.

jdtaylor · 20 Jun 2006, 08:20 PM

I agree that is normally very wortwhile doing as well as running a virus scan may help see if a virus or spyware has caused the problem as well.

**Shelded** · 21 Jun 2006, 11:17 AM

Did she have a house guest who wanted to use email?

jdtaylor · 22 Jun 2006, 01:49 AM

I wonder otherwise if she's been hacked..

Dave P in StLouis · 27 Jun 2006, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Shelded
Did she have a house guest who wanted to use email?

It's doubtful. She's blind and lives alone so she's very careful about who she trusts in her apartment. IIRC, she has AVG anti-virus. I've told her to make sure her virus signature files are up-to-date and do a complete scan. I don't know whether she did but the problem apparently spontaneously disappeared a few days after she contacted me. If I get a chance I'll visit her and install a decent spyware scanner like Ad-Aware SE and see what turns up.

bramhall · 28 Jun 2006, 02:40 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dave P in StLouis
IShe's blind

Is the 'new' Reply-To:' address something she'd use to send messages to? In this case I can imagine she typed it in the wrong place. Sighted people make this kind of mistakes too...

Dave P in StLouis · 28 Jun 2006, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bramhall
Is the 'new' Reply-To:' address something she'd use to send messages to? . . .

No. I don't recall her saying anything about sending anything to that address. And the only "Reply to:" address she ever uses is the one for her ISP. Frankly, I can't imagine her changing anything even by accident but that's starting to look like the best possibility.

9 Jun 2006, 03:10 AM	#1
Dave P in StLouis Cornerstone of the Community Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: St. Louis, MO USA Posts: 597	Possible Outlook Express bug/virus? A friend recently asked me about an odd e-mail problem. It seems the "Reply-to" address in Outlook Express has changed from "maryjones <at> ISP.net" to "work <at> MOMAIL2.mo.gov". She has no recollection of changing the "Reply-to" address. Frankly, I doubt she knows how. Does anyone know anything about this? Is it a bug in Outlook Express? A virus? Plain old user error? Thanks in advance for any help you can give.

20 Jun 2006, 07:06 AM	#2
markwolk Essential Contributor Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Christchurch, New Zealand Posts: 346	Not quite sure about this particular bug, but I had another type of bug in OE which fixed itself with the recent Windows update. Make sure your friend's PC is up-to date.

20 Jun 2006, 08:20 PM	#3
jdtaylor Master of the @ Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 1,693	I agree that is normally very wortwhile doing as well as running a virus scan may help see if a virus or spyware has caused the problem as well.

21 Jun 2006, 11:17 AM	#4
Shelded Moderator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: USA Northwest Posts: 3,849	Did she have a house guest who wanted to use email?

22 Jun 2006, 01:49 AM	#5
jdtaylor Master of the @ Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 1,693	I wonder otherwise if she's been hacked..