My email account being used for spam?

[wicker_man]

I just checked my gmail account a short while ago to find a spam message has been sent to every single email contact (which includes everybody I have sent emails to because Gmail stores them all.)

Obviously the first thing I've done is changed my password, but I am very worried and quite concerned how this happened. I like to think I am quite secure and cautious, so I have no idea how this has happened.

If anybody has any ideas or if this has happened to anybody and can shed some light, please reply.

This is the message:

HI
We sell electronic product, welcome to visit our website ： (removed) you should find out some product you want. If you become our agent,so you will get more profit.
Our msn or email: (removed)

Good luck

(I have removed the actual address)

[+Jamie+]

I somehow doubt that someone trying to sell goods would "hack" into email accounts and spam contacts You'd have to be bloody nuts to waste your time like that!

Did you reset your security questions etc aswell just incase?

[wicker_man]

The first thing I did was change my password and security questions.

My main concern is the fact that from undeliverable message reports, all of my contacts are listed in the "To" field of the message, so everybody who received the messages can see my other contacts.

But, I don't get how my account has been compromised. I use a Mac which is fully up to date, and haven't used any public computers recently. I am running a spyware scan now just in case, but nothing has been found so far.

[+Jamie+]

Is it possible you got phished? Seems like an explanation if nothing else, not saying you are not carefull though! but you never know, these things are easy to happen if you are not aware at the time

Very odd though.

[Fast Jon]

My missus had a similar thing happen a couple of weeks ago with her hotmail. Everybody in her contacts list was sent an email promoting some 5th-rate clothing website. She did a system clean, changed her password and reported it to Microsoft, not much else that could be done. We assume the account must have been password cracked.

[wicker_man]

After googling a bit, I've found other people who this has happened to (some with the same message). I suppose it could possibly be phishing (although I can't recall any suspicious sites) or maybe a password hack (although google rates mine as strong, with a mix of letters and numbers.)

My system scan (with MacScan) just came up with some tracking cookies, no spyware files, so unlikely to be anything dodgy with my computer.