Help! Someone is getting in my acoount!

[moxnix]

Soda, try Swatit, as it has a pro version (payware) and a free version (freeware). http://swatit.org/

[foxyloxley]

The post by tiDaLfAze23 @No7:

If your AOL account is named as your AO account [annross]
consider opening a NEW AOL account with a 'proper' tag. ie: no gender specific title, pick a favourite cartoon character etc, you are open to abuse now, and you need to cauterize the wound.

For a strong password, one trick is to use a song title, just change some of the characters for No's or symbols, use a MINIMAL length of TEN.........

Add the security software suggested; otherwise known as the AO holy trinity:

AdAware: http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/
SpyBot S+D v1.3 http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/
CWShredder http://www.softpedia.com/public/cat/...0-17-150.shtml

Welcome to AO, stick around and read the posts from others in the same boat, and MOST IMPORTANTLY ---------------Learn from this. Don't make the same mistakes again.

[.:front2back:.]

Ok i'd personally make CD back up of important software/files and then do a clean re-install of the Operating System..
That way when you perform a system format you are bound to destroy any sort of spyware programs ie:Keylogger, Trojan..
And once you have re-installed your Operating System ie:Win95, Win98/98Se, Win2000, WinME,Win XP
MAKE SURE YOU GET THE LATEST PATCHES FROM THE MICROSOFT WEBSITE!!

http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.asp

I would then invest in a AntiVirus program ie: Nortan Or Mcafee.
And Remember to Update your AntiVirus program once a week, as it's only good if you have the latest Virrii Definitions!!
Then i would get a copy of
Adaware,
http://www.lavasoft.com/software/adaware/
SpyBot search and destroy,
http://www.safer-networking.org
and CWShredder
http://www.softpedia.com
And remember to perform weekly updates of these programs!!!
I would also get a FireWall ie:Zone Alarm..

And i would also take extra care when downloading programs, email attachements, and files sent from people via Yahoo Messenger, MSN, ICQ, Irc, Aim etc etc..

And i'd also suggest that you browse the Tutorials Section as you will certainly learn many helpful techniques to help prevent this from happening in the future..

and last but not least, always try to make sure that you choose a password that is atleast 6 letters/numbers long, and try to make it as complicated as you can. But easy for you to remember..

cheers
.:front2back:.

[shell_coder]

This may seem like to simple a fix, but is it possible that the attacker switched the recover password e-mail during the initial crack... I would check, just in case.

-Shell_Coder

[tiDaLfAze23]

Wouldn't it be more wise to check for and update virus definitions 2/3 times
a week instead of like once a week? With all the vulnerabilities that are dicovered
daily, your computer would be at risk with only weekly updated definitions, and may
be infected before you actually update you definitions. Just a thought.....

[pooh sun tzu]

Hey guys, yeah, hello? We have no idea what else her situation involves and really need to stop preassuming her situation.

The same links have been posted over and over on this thread, with the exact same advice from different people on both Page one and two. Let's rest on repeating one another until we better understand the rest of her situation.

Too much information (repeated) can confuse people unused to such tools and security methods. Take it easy, and take a break. Let's get more information before posting five more links to adaware. And please, before posting, read the entire thread

note: No, I'm not calling the parent poster stupid because I mentioned the word 'confuse', but those who have ever admined a system can remember how users can become a bit afraid when confronted with too much technical information. It's just human nature.

[albn]

http://www.moosoft.com/products/cleaner/ excellent for detecting trojans.

Also, AOL has a lot of hacker kiddies, and it is a tragedy the username is the same as your e-mail... well when I used it 6 years ago.

Anyway, this has helped me. Hope it helps you. If it doesn't, then I am sorry :|

note: No, I'm not calling the parent poster stupid because I mentioned the word 'confuse', but those who have ever admined a system can remember how users can become a bit afraid when confronted with too much technical information. It's just human nature.

There is really no need to explain yourself. If somebody assumes you think the person is "stupid" has too much time on thier hands. Not everybody spends every waking second in front of a box....

...like me :P

[s3nate]

I am thinking that i have a solution to your problem, I also use aim right now and once in a while i would just exit AIM, then i would sign on again and then the message window pops up saying that you've been signed onto 2 locations and so on...which basically means that even tho that your off....AIM still thinks your online and once you signed on again it thinks you're in 2 locations, this happens a lot....this also happens with msn messenger, it shows my friends as online while i know their comp is turned off cause its right next to me(lol) same with AIM.
Another reason is that maybe you signed onto your AIM account on a different computer....and it just saved your password and auto signs on on the the comp that you've used, this happened with my account and i used it on my uncles.....

Hope that helps
-S3nate

[annross]

To All,
I want to thank each any every one of you for all the wonderful advice you have given. I am trying each one as I get them. To answer a few of your questions. My name and user name are not the same. I do use unrelated passwords for my computer. I am now making them even harder. I tried right away the Control/alt and Z as well as other letters and no prompt came up. Although all of these wonderful products your suggesting have really cleaned up my computer, I am hoping since no one has logged on yet the perp was wiped out. They normally only do it 2 0r 3 times a week. So maybe they just haven't tried yet. I know they are surely getting in becuse they are taking the information from my account (e-mails from my lawyer) and using it to mess up our plans. I am afraid to give you all too much info in fear they might know I'm here. They are very into the internent as well as surveillance. Trust me I have other problems besides the computer. The police have been called in for that. They will stop at nothing to win. It's all very unsetteling. Hopefully none of you will ever be in a situation such as this with a vile rodent, but you have all made it a little better. Thank You.

[s3nate]

welcome ,
Well, if the people in your account are really messing with your AIM then...why are you still using your AIM account? ditch it and use another one. And i suggest that you use a different way to contact your lawyer other than email, or just open up another account. And do you have any idea why someone would be doing this to you? cause seems really odd that they just keep wanting entery to your AIM account unless they are looking for some kind of information that you might be storing on your account so yea look in to that...
-S3nate