Filtering spam

[iowabucks]

Hey everyone, a couple of months ago my computer got a trojan. I could not totally get rid of it even with help from a few online communities. Had to migrate to another HHD. It seems like since then i have been getting alot more spam than i used to. I used to only get about 10 emails a day (that was nice) on average. After this it has bumped up to 30 to 40.

It seems like all the new ones are trying to sell something. They could be the same looking email as another but come from a totally different email address. The hyperlink in the email doesn't look like it has anything to do with the product, so of course i never click on them.

When trying to look up info on the email address it came from it seems like most of the email addresses are reported as just been started or shut down, like they took over someone elses address. I'm sure this is the way most of the spam is sent out, by using a different email address each time to try to get around your spam email settings.

Is this normal procedure with the spam senders or does it have something to do with the trojan i had a couple months back?

Also, what can i do to combat these short of blocking everything except approved emaill address? This seems a little harsh to me, as i may miss something important.

Thanks. Jerry.

 

[richc46]

Welcome Jerry
Upfront, I would like to say that I am sure that without more information and possibley even examining your machine a definitive answer would be impossible. That being said, I think that what your are experiencing is part of the trojan problem, your address was stolen and possibly even sold to others. There is only one sure cure, that is to change the address. I know this is a pain, but you can send the new address to all on your email list by "sending to all".
May I suggest that you use an quality firewall (windows fire wall is good and free too)
A good antivirus, Microsoft security essentials is good and download and run the free malwarebytes.
I would also like to say that most spam filters are not that helpful. The spammers change words, by misspelling etc, that would trigger the filter, etc. They change address often and know all the gimmicks.
Get a new address, notify the email provider to close down your address as it may be used to send to others in the future. Good luck and Im sorry for your problem.

 

[iowabucks]

I did run Microsoft Essentials and Malware Bytes along with the firewall at the time, but it somehow still found it's way into my computer. I believe it was a rootkit that really knew how to hide itself after installing.

Would it help to unsubscribe to any of the emails, or will this just lead to more?

I will probably just get a new email addy.

Thanks. Jerry.

 

[Yard Dog]

Try this for rootkit : free : Anti-rootkit utility TDSSKiller

 

[richc46]

Jerry,
Never unsubscribe to unwanted spam, know why? Well, its because, that will not stop it and in addition you are telling the spammer that they have a good address that is in use and they will not stop they just sell the address to others. If the spam is really bad get a new address. In addition get a spam email address. That is the one you use when an address is necessary online, maybe to buy something or to get a free gift, etc.
If you migrated to another drive the rootkit might not be there, but the only sure way is to format all the drives involved and then reinstall. The experts here mostly agree thats the best way with rootkits.

 

[iowabucks]

Try this for rootkit : free : Anti-rootkit utility TDSSKiller

Thanks Yarddog, but thats one i tried, and it didn't show anything. The general consensus thought it was a well hidden rootkit.

After cleaning as best i could with about 6 different malware programs and 3 different malware forum help that ran many programs to find it, only saying everything was clean, it still had quirks like:
1. random music or a videos audio playing in the background when no applications were running at the time.
2. hyperlinks in emails would not work. m(just a setting changed i'm sure)
3. every time i would do a google search and click on a link it would hijack the results and take me somewhere totally different.