Problem Email

[Koll]

I've received an email which is clearly spam, so junked it. Then tried to delete it from Junk, but it kept re-appearing immediately. Kept on trying to delete it and eventually it disappeared (also deleted contents of my Trash folder, successfully).

This morning the email isn't there, great, but after a while the "Mail Activity" showed outgoing mail to the address that sent the spam. But I haven't sent any emails to them and there's nothing in my Drafts, Sent, or Outgoing mail boxes.

It seems to have gone for now and nothing's happening, but anyone got any ideas what this is, how to resolve it, in case this happens again?

PS. I'm using Mail on a 3-4 year old MacBook Pro running Mountain Lion.

Thanks

Koll

 

[satcomer]

Sounds like you got hit by a Trojan by clicking on something you shouldn't have. First open Mail's Preferences, Accounts mini-tab, and check your outgoing SMTP service toggle bar. Make sure your SMTP accounts are the one you setup.

Then go to System Preferences->Network tab, Advanced button, DNS mini-tab and check to make sure you DNS servers are either your router or a DNS server you wanted only.

Also go to the folder /YourHardDrive/Users/YourUserName/Library/Application Support/Mail/OnlineAccountTypes/ and delete the file there.

Also to be safe download and run once the free program ClamAV and scan your drive. This might catch something.

 

[Koll]

I've done all the first bit and all looks fine. But I don't have a Library folder under my user name. Could it be hidden? I've run VirusBarrier Express (full scan) which as always found nothing.

I never click on anything but may have opened the email because it looked genuine and also relevant to what I do.

Thanks

 

[Koll]

PS. The email has just appeared again, showing as arriving in my Incoming Mail in Mail Activity, bottom left hand corner. It went straight into my junk folder, and was dated yesterday! This time it deleted fine, then I deleted it from Trash and it did a permanent delete fine as well.

 

[satcomer]

I've done all the first bit and all looks fine. But I don't have a Library folder under my user name. Could it be hidden? I've run VirusBarrier Express (full scan) which as always found nothing.

I never click on anything but may have opened the email because it looked genuine and also relevant to what I do.

Thanks

The Library has been hidden since 10.7.x and to access it. So on Mountain Lion click on you desktop so the Finder is from and you can access 'Go' menu item and in the drop-down to the 'Go to Folder and put the folder path:

/Users/yourusername/Library/

The drag that Library folder to your Finder window's side bar. This way you will have a shortcut right to that folder.

 

[Koll]

Also go to the folder /YourHardDrive/Users/YourUserName/Library/Application Support/Mail/OnlineAccountTypes/ and delete the file there.

Ok got it. In that folder there is just another folder /com.apple.updated.mailaccounts which contains one file "MailAccounts.plist".

Are you saying delete MailAccounts.plist?

Thanks

 

[satcomer]

Ok got it. In that folder there is just another folder /com.apple.updated.mailaccounts which contains one file "MailAccounts.plist".

Are you saying delete MailAccounts.plist?

Thanks

Just move it to your Trashcan but don't delete it yet. Then run Mail again and see if that email stays gone or not. If it doesn't help you could always move it back.

 

[Koll]

Thanks I'll give it a go.