Something weird going on!

[Braindrain]

I just got an e-mail in my inbox. I didn't recognize the address, but I
opened it, because it was in my inbox, not my junk mail. It turned out
to be a long list of symbols-just gibberish. I deleted it, and I haven't
had any problems with my computer, so I don't think it was a virus.

What I don't understand is: how could an e-mail, with an unfamiliar
address, show up in my inbox, instead of my junk mail?? Trust me,
if I had seen it in my Junk Mail, I wouldn't have opened it. At the
time, I thought that someone I knew had changed their address.
But, even if they had, it still should have gone in my Junk Mail,
until I updated the address, right?:confused:

Any ideas what this might be?

Thanks!:)

[Mike Weins]

It all depends on how well the originating (senders) email address was spoofed (faked).

I get crap like that all the time in all of my email accounts. As long as you don't download anything you're fine :)

[Braindrain]

Thanks for your help, Mike, I appreciate it!:)

[Lara]

Yes, I get a couple sneak through from time to time as well. Anything I don't recognize I delete without opening. It's possible I've deleted ones like you mention from people who may have changed addresses, but I just don't have the time or patience anymore to have to fix my computer if it's a virus or something so I just go *plonk. I don't keep an address book either. One thing I do though is scan through the email addresses in my spam/junk/virus filter that my ISP holds for me, just in case there's something important in there that I've missed. All gmail and hotmail and many other similar services go straight to my ISP filter automatically, so if there is someone specific that I wish to receive mail from with a gmail account, for example, then I just re-set the filters.

[Braindrain]

I just looked at the message again (it's in my trash can). The "sender"
was using initials for the address. Example: abc @ isp.net.

But, I have my mail set up to only accept the addresses/names in my
address book. When I didn't recognize the address, that's when I
thought that someone I knew had changed their address.

This is the first time that I can remember someone sneaking through
and I just hope it's the last time-I don't want to have to worry about
viruses, either.