Can spammers access all of Google Mail?

[ctabuk]

This may seem a naive question. About 5 months ago we were seriously thinking about installing a wind turbine in our garden to power the house. Today I've had loads of spam e-mails all on that subject offering me wind turbine sites and prices. I use Opera, and ordinarily I would say how safe it is. I did get some quotes via my gmail account. Has it been hacked?

[kgun]

Most probably your gmail account has been hacked.

I assume that you sent out mails with that subject.

My advice:

1. Don't use gmail for such subjects.
2. Change your gmail password to a strong one, I will recommend more than 15 characters.
3. You can filter (g)mails on many different criteria eg:
   
   wind turbine
4. If you have to use a free email service, why not use Opera mail?

[ctabuk]

Thanks for that password changed! - I'll set up a opera account too.

[dozzn]

sometimes I wonder if those google ads in our gmail {right side}can somehow provide someone with some info like 'wind turbine' that would later provide us with plenty of spam?...

[kgun]

So you think that those ads present the the gmail address it was pulled from to an outsider / third party?

Possible (easy programming), but not probable, at least in my opinion.

Those ads are in a sense the "price" Google requires from the service.

Take it or leave it.

[imvain2]

From the sounds of it, one of two things are really happening.

1). When you asked for a quote, your email address was provided to other wind turbine companies.

2). Coincidence. I receive spam for DIY solar panels and wind turbines all of the time. And I haven't looked for that specific information.

[Doolallys]

I don't think this has anything to do with Google Mail. It's more likely that you have spyware on your machine.

Try running Ad-aware from Lavasoft.

This is exactly what happened to me and it turned out to be spyware on my machine. Once I cleaned it up, things went back to normal. (Well normal apam anyway!)

[weegillis]

It's not likely that Gmail or your account have been hacked. I've always suspected that there is some 'overlap' of information in Google's own mail search database that others are able to access, somehow.

I use Gmail for only one thing, subscriptions. Yet I get mountains of spam, offers to extend my life or my dick, all the Nigerian plots, etcetera, etcetera. There are most likely some holes in Gmail that Google has not bothered or care to locate or fix. As long as their spam filter works, I guess you take it or leave it.

Liquor store employees, among a raft of others, are swiping their own air miles cards when customers don't present one. What's to stop a Gmail employee from selling a little information on the side. Can ALL Google employees be trusted? Doubtful.

[qh4dotcom]

I have my domain's mail forwarded to my Gmail account and I have never given out my Gmail address...yet I am getting spam with my Gmail address in the to: header...can't figure this out.

[Feydakin]

I'm with Imvain - I think it is a coincidence.. With the wide variety of topics I get spam on its not hard for them to get one or two things that I have searched for..

Plus, with the latest energy freak out it is quickly becoming the new spam magnet..

[ctabuk]

Thank you one and all. I do use adaware, but since I've been using opera the number of files has decreased greatly.

[computergenius]

Originally Posted by ctabuk

I did get some quotes via my gmail account.

Surely one (or more) of the companies that you asked for a quote, decided that, as they were not going to get a sale, they would sell your email address on.

Sounds like a much simpler answer.

[Peter]

Does anyone know if it possible that on a Google ad that appears within Googlemail, if you click it that your email address is sent out?

[kgun]

Originally Posted by Peter

Does anyone know if it possible that on a Google ad that appears within Googlemail, if you click it that your email address is sent out?

Possible, definitely. Probable is another question.

[1centwiz]

Why bother with even checking the spam mail? Google's filter is there for a reason. I only go there to delete all.

I don't bother checking my yahoo account anymore because with their spam filter you have to manually add the emails you don't want to receive, which defeats the purpose in my opinion. Hence the reason I switched to Gmail...

If I wanted to look at spam, then why bother using a filter in the first place?

BTW, I get those emails for personal enlargement as well, and as I've been told I have the gonads, I sure as heck don't have the stick to hit them with!

Just a rant to put in my penny's worth! ~ Cheers ~

[morestar]

Originally Posted by weegillis

It's not likely that Gmail or your account have been hacked. I've always suspected that there is some 'overlap' of information in Google's own mail search database that others are able to access, somehow.

I use Gmail for only one thing, subscriptions. Yet I get mountains of spam, offers to extend my life or my dick, all the Nigerian plots, etcetera, etcetera. There are most likely some holes in Gmail that Google has not bothered or care to locate or fix. As long as their spam filter works, I guess you take it or leave it..

lol weegillis, you make me laugh...