Email address hacked and scam sent to all contacts. My address book deleted. Do I need to change my email

[Avocet27]

My email was hacked and scam letters sent to all contacts asking for a reply to a similar address as mine. Many wrote to me direct and these mails came in OK but if they replied they got the scam letter. ("Unable to get to a shop please purchase Google vouchers" or some such - quite a common one). Also all my addresses have been deleted.

Have changed my password and Security Question.

Do I need to change my e-mail address?

Any help welcomed.

[tecdude]

As long as your contacts know, you can choose either. I would stick with your current one now, but if it happens again, please do change it.

[Graham_A · Accepted solution]

In addition to the steps you have already taken you should follow all of the other advice here:

https://www.virginmedia.com/help/virgin-media-account-has-been-hacked

As well as checking for auto forward rules also check for rogue filter rules.

[Avocet27]

Many thanks. It is all a bit of a worry!!

[coenoby]

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@Avocet27 wrote:

Any help welcomed.

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it would be a good idea to got through the VM Helpsheet but it sounds as if you have already covered most of the advice:

As far as changing your email address goes, that's your choice of course. However, I personally don't feel that VM email accounts are secure enough to be used in conjunction with any financially sensitive online accounts such as Amazon, eBay etc. Of course, most of those do offer their own  2 Factor Authentication and we should all taking advantage of that whenever it's offered.

One final point though, even if you stop using your VM address, if the scammer spoofed your email address to try to scam your contacts there is nothing to stop them trying again.  Presumably, you have explained the situation to your contacts so they do not get caught in future?

Coenoby

[Avocet27]

Thankyou yes I have told as many as I can but you pick up an awful lot of other addresses which don't mean much to me and probably slip through the net.   Thanks anyway