I have been avoiding MSN messenger and Yahoo Messenger when I am working for quite some time now. I find it quite silly to “Appear offline” all the time when I have no intentions to chat. Switching them on can be quite distracting sometimes.
However, after seeing the newest version of MSN messenger in action, I updated mine and leave it on every now and then. Then, I notice I am getting spam messages from the people in my contact list. I used to get them as well in the past but nowadays it seems to be a lot more frequent.
A few days back, a blogger friend sent me a message asking me if the link I sent her contains virus. I was a little confused because I did not send her any link. In fact, I did not send her any messages at all. I wondered if someone could have used my computer while I was away but quickly dropped that idea.
Then, I remembered those spam messages that I have been getting from the people on my MSN messenger contact list in the past. Sure enough, she copied and pasted the message “I sent her” (which I did not) and it looks exactly as those I have read in the past. It was spam.
XXXXXXX said (2:27 PM):
I got so many messages about those acai berry pills that I decided to order them and guess what? I lost 23 pounds so far and its only been two weeks. I am living proof that they work and best part was, they only cost me five dollars to try over at hxxp://bullsea.com
Apart from updating my MSN messenger to the latest version and possibly clicking on one of those links sent to me in the past (yeah, I know I should not have), I cannot think of any other reason why spam emails are “sent out on my behalf”.
Any ideas?