Yahoo Mail Compromised -- What To Do?

[Trevor25222]

I use a 2011 Macbook Pro and no virus issues so far but today my Yahoo mail started sending out spurious emails to my contacts. Right now I can't log-in at all ... it's asking for my honeymoon location, when I never used such a mnemonic, nor even married.

Yahoo emailed me earlier today saying my email may have been compromised by someone in Serbia. I ignored it as they seemed to be on a data-collection exercise regarding my mobile phone. I junked a Hotmail account a few months earlier as a similar thing happened when they insisted on a mobile phone number to let me back in. That was data collection based on a probably-fabricated 'Your email may be compromised' warning.

Does this mean I have to junk the Yahoo email in question? It was my primary address and has important emails. Any suggestions for a more-reliable email service which doesn't blackmail users into revealing their phone numbers and is less-prone to hackers? Thanks.

Edited April 29, 2013 by Trevor25222

[aarn]

Set up a Gmail account - works very nicely in tandem with Chrom(ium) browser.

To access your yahoo contacts, just get in touch with them, not by responding to the 'Your email may be compromised' warning.

In future, regular password change recommended. AA

[geriatrickid]

Yes, yahoo and Hotmail (now called Outlook) ask for a phone number where they will send an access code allowing you to access your account. With yahoo you have notify the service of the compromise.

[BKS22]

Sorry to hear about this.

Yahoo email blows! I know how frustrating it can be! This happened to me last year. Took awhile to get it all sorted out. The only reason I didn't ditch the whole thing was I had some emails that were as old as 10yrs from some family members that are now deceased.

Now I only use that account when signing up for bullsh*t stuff I don't want spamming my Gmail.

[WhizBang]

Sorry to hear about this.

Yahoo email blows! I know how frustrating it can be! This happened to me last year. Took awhile to get it all sorted out. The only reason I didn't ditch the whole thing was I had some emails that were as old as 10yrs from some family members that are now deceased.

Now I only use that account when signing up for bullsh*t stuff I don't want spamming my Gmail.

Yes, Yahoo sucks, but so do all of the 'FREE' email providers. Yahoo will now ask for confirmation (beyond your password) if you even use a different computer (same IP connection) to log in.

They say it's for my own security. I say it is just stupid harrassment.

When I went back to the usa last year, Yahoo locked me out of my own account because I couldn't remember the 'secret' questions and answers.

Fortunately, I was able to get back in when I returned. First thing I did was a) change the secret questions/answers, and b.) wrote them down for future reference.

In the case of asking for a mobile phone number (something I would NEVER give out online) I believe you also have the option of using an alternate email address. We all have more than one email address, right?

[GooEng]

Same thing happened to me about a year ago - the only way I knew it was some of my contacts were no longer current active accounts, so I got all these "undelivered message" notifications appearing - then a couple of friends sent me <deleted>?? type enquiries. I reported it to yahoo as it was happening multiple times

over a day or so. Following their advice I just changed the password on the account and that stopped it.

I was happy with yahoo until this happened ... Not so much now.

[Somrak]

Yes, Yahoo sucks, but so do all of the 'FREE' email providers. Yahoo

will now ask for confirmation (beyond your password) if you even use a

different computer (same IP connection) to log in.

Who uses his email for private reasons, is with a free mail provider 100 % O.K. !?

Newer had any problem with yahoo. May about this: @whisbang if you even use a

different ...... For your safty ?

Try to log in NEW an take " forget password " - Then follow the advise in the E-Mail you will become immediatly.

[Totster]

Sorry to hear about this.

Yahoo email blows! I know how frustrating it can be! This happened to me last year. Took awhile to get it all sorted out. The only reason I didn't ditch the whole thing was I had some emails that were as old as 10yrs from some family members that are now deceased.

Now I only use that account when signing up for bullsh*t stuff I don't want spamming my Gmail.

Yes, Yahoo sucks, but so do all of the 'FREE' email providers.

Umm.. Gmail doesn't suck..

totster

[USNret]

Yes, Yahoo sucks, but so do all of the 'FREE' email providers. Yahoo

will now ask for confirmation (beyond your password) if you even use a

different computer (same IP connection) to log in.

Who uses his email for private reasons, is with a free mail provider 100 % O.K. !?

Newer had any problem with yahoo. May about this: @whisbang if you even use a

different ...... For your safty ?

Try to log in NEW an take " forget password " - Then follow the advise in the E-Mail you will become immediatly.

Hard to argue with that.

[Trevor25222]

OP says thanks for the replies and sympathies.

I am still locked-out as Yahoo mail demands my 'honeymoon location', which was never a security question on my account. I looked through Yahoo's so-called help pages but none offer resolution for hacked accounts, let alone someone to contact. One blog reported a telephone number whereby the hackers were demanding $100 to restore service. Definitely the last time I use Yahoo -- once (and if) I can retrieve essential data. What an appalling security breach to so many clients and it's been going on for years, accelerating since March 2013. Having a Mac and not clicking on any links will not protect you. Suggest Yahoo mail users immediately change passwords to the strongest possible, or better close the account and use another provider. That will send them a message for being so lax ... as if they didn't make enough already from all their irritating ads.

Any ideas to help me get back into my compromised Yahoo mail account one last time?

Edited April 30, 2013 by Trevor25222

[IPC]

I have had similar problem accessing my Yahoo emails the past few days. An IT contact advised uninstalling my browser(s) then reinstalling them.

So far seems to have done the trick for me.

[Estrada]

Yahoo was severely hacked by hackers in January and are still being attacked. I have a great deal of problems connecting to my e-mail even though yahoo messenger or yahoo mail tell me I am logged in and what latest unread mails have been received. To check whether your account has been compromised you can connect to your profile via the service page of yahoo and this tells you who logged on and from which Country. I have cured my problem by going to internet options/Security on the browser controls and unchecking the delete cookies and browser history on exit and adding *.yahoo.com and *.yahoo.co.th to the trusted sites list. This seems to have solved the problem.

[Trevor25222]

Yahoo was severely hacked by hackers in January and are still being attacked. I have a great deal of problems connecting to my e-mail even though yahoo messenger or yahoo mail tell me I am logged in and what latest unread mails have been received. To check whether your account has been compromised you can connect to your profile via the service page of yahoo and this tells you who logged on and from which Country. I have cured my problem by going to internet options/Security on the browser controls and unchecking the delete cookies and browser history on exit and adding *.yahoo.com and *.yahoo.co.th to the trusted sites list. This seems to have solved the problem.

I don't think so. I can't log on at all. Service is not in their vocabulary! Yahoo & Hotmail: avoid like the plague.

Edited April 30, 2013 by Trevor25222

[Para]

I think you have highlighted a trend where people sign up for a free email account for personal use then slowly start using it for business.

I have a paid for email account that in the past 11 years has only been off line for a total of 4 hours. I can even encrypt my mailbox with a passphrase so if ever the servers were seized my mail is still securly encrypted. I know it doesnt help you now though.

Have you considered emailing your hacked account and making them an offer?

[vijer]

So your Hotmail and Yahoo email accounts have been comprimised and you are complaining. I have a Yahoo account, two Hotmail accounts and a Gmail account and have never been comprimised. And I don't think asking for your phone number so they can confirm you are the owner of the account can be considered "data fishing". They will send you a text message with a code so they can confirm it is you, they don't sell your phone number to others.

Also, you may want to use a difficult password, your mom's name, your wife's name, your dog's name are not good passwords. Try something like, 1a1nt-St00p1d.

[vijer]

Sorry to hear about this.

Yahoo email blows! I know how frustrating it can be! This happened to me last year. Took awhile to get it all sorted out. The only reason I didn't ditch the whole thing was I had some emails that were as old as 10yrs from some family members that are now deceased.

Now I only use that account when signing up for bullsh*t stuff I don't want spamming my Gmail.

Yes, Yahoo sucks, but so do all of the 'FREE' email providers.

Umm.. Gmail doesn't suck..

totster

Well, Hotmail and Yahoo don't suck either, they may not be as good as Gmail but they don't suck. But in my opinion, the OP seems to have weak passwords plus trust issues. Also, an over confidence that the Mac OS can't be comprimised. Of course most Mac's don't have antivirus software installed so how would they know if there was a virus?!?

[Trevor25222]

(OP) My case sounds more like a hack with sophisticated password-generating software (of common terms) than a virus. Yahoo and Hotmail should use non-intrusive means of verification, like secret answers and birthdays, than grub for personal telephone numbers. I won't be using mainstream services in future. The more obscure the service the better Still plenty of free services around for my private emails. Make the criminals an offer? No guarantees, and opens the way to further blackmail. Non cooperation is the only weapon ordinary people have to defeat these Slavic scum.

Edited April 30, 2013 by Trevor25222

[thrilled]

Yahoo and hotmail ,outlook have gone down hill.I only use gmail now.

[jacko45k]

Yahoo and hotmail ,outlook have gone down hill.I only use gmail now.

That is true.......

My yahoo was compromised last year, it originated from a link within an email that arrived from a friend.

Next thing all my contacts were spammed similarly.

I felt this was not a virus, but a weakness in my browser where on open email session could be mimicked from another location.

I tracked it to Romania!

Nevertheless I was doing daily scans.... I sent apologies and warnings to everyone, changed my password, told my yahoo account to log-out every 24hrs and not stay logged in. Seems to have been okay since.

I think the worst thing is being asked security questions that you can't remember the answer for...as you set them up 8 years ago!

A friend being asked where he went on honeymoon, was confused because he had been married multiple times.

Me being asked my favourite author, well I didn't remember how I had entered the name, spaces, abbreviations, last name only, whatever.

People may mock, but we all get older.

Edited April 30, 2013 by jacko45k

[Joe Mamma]

Watch out for anything Xsolla and other paypal wannabes as they sell you to spam in a nano second. You can delete all spam in one keystroke in gmail standard view.

[Trevor25222]

(OP) I just managed to get back into my Yahoo Mail by recalling the correct secret words set up so many years ago! I was then prompted to enter a stronger password. How often would Yahoo users recommend changing it? Thanks for replies.

Edited May 2, 2013 by Trevor25222

[fasteddie]

Yes, Yahoo sucks, but so do all of the 'FREE' email providers. Yahoo

will now ask for confirmation (beyond your password) if you even use a

different computer (same IP connection) to log in.

Who uses his email for private reasons, is with a free mail provider 100 % O.K. !?

Newer had any problem with yahoo. May about this: @whisbang if you even use a

different ...... For your safty ?

Try to log in NEW an take " forget password " - Then follow the advise in the E-Mail you will become immediatly.

Hard to argue with that.

Or even understand it.

[candypants]

Sorry to hear about this.

Yahoo email blows! I know how frustrating it can be! This happened to me last year. Took awhile to get it all sorted out. The only reason I didn't ditch the whole thing was I had some emails that were as old as 10yrs from some family members that are now deceased.

Now I only use that account when signing up for bullsh*t stuff I don't want spamming my Gmail.

Yes, Yahoo sucks, but so do all of the 'FREE' email providers.

Umm.. Gmail doesn't suck..

totster

i have to say, i have received buckets of crap email from people on hotmail and yahoo, never gmail.

even microsoft has given up on hotmail