Hotmail - email scam / virus?

RunHomerRun

Hi all,

I have a hotmail account.

This morning at 2am my Dad received an email from me recommending a site to purchase 3G iPhones.
This email was sent to his account and to a guy begining with A - that I would have previously emailed.

Now - I did NOT send this email.

Only reason I know is my Dad asked me why I emailed him.

I have just checked my hotmail account and there is nothing unusual in the sent items.

My first reaction is that some virus or something has got into my hotmail account and emailed everyone on my contacts list - hence the guy begining with A.
Just checked, and my contacts list is empty - I honestly cannot remember if I set up a contacts list or not - generally hotmail recalls frequently used addresses and completes the address in the To bar.
But - maybe I did have a contact list and now its been removed????!!!!

However - there is nothing sent from my hotmail account.

Whats going on? Is this something to be worried about?

Explanations / theories really welcome.

Farcear

First thing, change the password on your hotmail account.

Your father's and friend's emails addresses may have been in your "sent items" folder.

RunHomerRun

Thanks Farcear.

I have changed my password.

Speaking to a tech guy in work yesterday and he explained it well..

Most likely what happened is that someone hacked into Hotmails servers and they removed my contacts list.
Then used this info to send phishing email and make it appear like it originated from me.
That would explain why there was nothing in my sent items.

Hopefully thats the end of it.