I know two people who recently found their computer seemed to be emailing all their friends to inform them about some great new service. How nice. In the past there have been viruses which get in to your address book and send out emails using your name to all your friends but its not even necessarily a virus. Spoofers get lists of email addresses and can send out emails using your name.
Here’s what aol had to say;
If it’s happened to you , you are in good company
http://www.mylot.com/w/discussions/2276049.aspx
Here’s a trick you can use to detect if its happening.
This is one of the ways you can get your mail client (Outlook, Outlook Express, Eudora, etc.) to notify you automatically whenever a worm or virus tries to sent out email from your address book.
1. Simply start-up your mail client and click add new contact.
2. In the field for your new contact name, enter; AAA then when the program prompt you for an email address, enter; VirusAlert complete the rest of the process and save.
This is how it work; AAA will be the first entry in your address book, therefore when any virus or worm attempt to send mail from your address book–starting with the first contact (AAA) it will be unable to deliver to a non-existing address (VirusAlert) and your mail client will notified you almost immediately.
Cool tip I got from this page:
http://www.mailsbroadcast.com/email.broadcast.faq/45.email.hijacked.htm
Lots of info there
and finally heres what Microsoft says about keeping virus free.
http://www.microsoft.com/security/antivirus/prevent.aspx
stay safe