Home More advice Computers & Tech
This is really messed up if it's true..two times I think a bot messaged me advertising stuff using my friends' names.
Actually, in SMTP (Simple Mail Transport Protocol) it is trivial to forge email. It isn't necessary for your friend's computer or email account to be compromised in order for email from a third party to appear to be from your friend. Generally examining the header of the email will reveal most forgeries but a knowledgeable person can make even it look convincing without further investigation. Spammers have various ways of harvesting email addresses.
Any important email correspondence should be encrypted or at least digitally signed with public key encryption.
It's more of a hijacking than a full "hack", but yes....that can happen, which is why it's important not to publicly post your email address anywhere or open emails that look strange.
they are hacked... let them know so it doesnt happen again... have them change there user name (or delete it and start-ovr) and change there password...
yep. it means that theyre account got hacked. dont click it, its most likely spam.