forum hacked/compromised

[bluebelle]

The only place I use this user name is here.....I just got an email from "Dirk Peters" from the "S‎‎‎‎‎‎t‎‎‎‎‎‎u‎‎‎‎d‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎e‎‎‎‎n‎‎t‎‎ ‎‎L‎‎o‎‎a‎‎n‎‎‎‎‎‎ D‎‎‎‎eb‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎t ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎D‎‎‎‎e‎‎‎‎‎‎p‎‎‎‎a‎‎‎‎‎‎rt‎‎‎‎m‎‎e‎‎n‎‎t‎‎".   Of course it's bullshit, bogus email address and addressed to "BlueBelle", not my name.   And I didn't have student loans and if I did, they're be 40 years old.....
Anyway, somehow this user name and my email address have been linked and compromised.

[FrugalToque]

The only place I use this user name is here.....I just got an email from "Dirk Peters" from the "S‎‎‎‎‎‎t‎‎‎‎‎‎u‎‎‎‎d‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎e‎‎‎‎n‎‎t‎‎ ‎‎L‎‎o‎‎a‎‎n‎‎‎‎‎‎ D‎‎‎‎eb‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎t ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎D‎‎‎‎e‎‎‎‎‎‎p‎‎‎‎a‎‎‎‎‎‎rt‎‎‎‎m‎‎e‎‎n‎‎t‎‎".   Of course it's bullshit, bogus email address and addressed to "BlueBelle", not my name.   And I didn't have student loans and if I did, they're be 40 years old.....
Anyway, somehow this user name and my email address have been linked and compromised.

That would be weird.  There are, like, three people who would be able to get your address - and MMM himself, I guess - and we're all too busy to do this on purpose.

I can check if our server's been hacked somehow.

[bluebelle]

thank you for the response.   I suppose it could be my email, but I'd have expected them to use my real name then.

no harm, no foul, it was a very obvious fake email.

[G-dog]

thank you for the response.   I suppose it could be my email, but I'd have expected them to use my real name then.

no harm, no foul, it was a very obvious fake email.

@bluebelle  - Any chance your computer was hacked?  Is your password saved in a password manager on your devices? Have you been on any unsecured networks when you logged in?  Work computer hacked (if you log in at work)?

You might want to update critical passwords just in case.

[Just Joe]

I'd recommend downloading free Malware Bytes to both your computer and smart phone. Run scans and review whatever it finds. It has been reliable software for me for 10+ years.

Your post looks like someone's computer has caught a virus and is exploiting the address book. Or perhaps someone's accounts have been "pawned".

Might also be useful to check your email addresses here: https://haveibeenpwned.com

That website is legit.