Is anyone else being harassed by a group calling them self the Watchers?

Question

Someone calling themselves The Watchers are some how obtaining copies of my emails. Anything they deem "inappropriate", they send a copy to me and threaten to send it to other people. Has anyone heard of them? How are they getting my emails? What should I do about them?

I have created 3 new email addresses and they seem to "find" them as fast as I create them. I also did make one of them very complex. I tried saving the emails so I could report them to Yahoo but somehow they went back in and deleted them from my inbox and the trash folder...any other ideas?

Answer 1

Are these emails and claims related to the Yahoo Answers site? You say anything the deem "Inappropriate". Is this related to your questions or answers on here? If it is related to the answers site then open the email Headers. Copy and paste the entire email into a newly composed email and send here:

[e-mail]

This could also be someone who has put a Keylogger program on your computer. It seems they are getting immediate knowledge of everything you are typing on your computer. The most common way this happens is that someone you know and has been around your computer has placed it there. It could also be done by someone you trust sending an email with a link for you to click. It is then downloaded onto your computer.

The absolute best way to get rid of a keylogger program is to Reformat your computer with it physically disconnected from the Internet.

I recommend you first try removing it with programs. Follow the below procedure and use the program listed in it. The program name has just been changed from ewido to AVG AntiSpyware. It is the same program.

Trojan Removal Procedure.

Malware is a general word for all form of Viruses, Spyware etc. This procedure works for all Malware. Replace the Ewido program with the appropriate program.

You might be unable to access the Internet after removing the Malware so you will need to run LSPfix or Winsockxpfix (as appropriate). Download one and save to desktop, run it later.

LSPfix: all Windows OS except 95.

http://www.cexx.org/lspfix.htm

Winsock XP Fix: Windows XP only.

http://www.spychecker.com/program/winsockxpfix.html



Download and Update Ewido:

http://www.ewido.net/en/download/


-- If you have problems updating see here:

http://www.ewido.net/en/download/updates/

Once the updates are installed do the following:



Let's get cleaning

Part 1

• Temporarily show hidden files.

For Windows XP:

1.
Click Start, and then click Control Panel.

2.
Click Appearance and Themes, and then click Folder Options.

3.
On the View tab, under Hidden files and folders, click "Show hidden files and folders", and clear(uncheck) the "Hide protected operating system files" check box.



For older systems:

1.
Double-click My Computer, click View, and then click Folder Options.

2.
On the View tab, under "Hidden files and folders", click "Show hidden files and folders", and clear (uncheck) the "Hide protected operating system files" check box.


IMPORTANT: Files are hidden by Windows for a very good reason. It is not wise to experiment with these files. Unfortunately, to successfully remove modern spyware we must turn this protection off temporarily. Please turn the protection back on when you have finished cleaning your system.


Empty your Internet Explorer cache and your other temporary file folders:

1.
On the Internet Explorer Tools menu, click Internet Options.

2.
On the General tab, in the Temporary Internet Files section, click the Delete Files button. This will delete all the files that are currently stored in your cache.

3.
Select the Delete all offline content check box in the confirmation dialogue box that appears, click OK.

4.
Click OK again.

Restart in Safe Mode:

To do this you need to hold down or repeatedly tap the F8 key while the computer is booting (when the computer is displaying a black screen with white text). When the boot menu appears, use your keyboard arrows to select "Safe Mode."

Safe Mode can look quite ugly. The color may look bad, and all of your desktop icons will be very large. This is normal.



Start Scan and let Ewido scan the PC


When the scan and removal are completed REBOOT COMPUTER. This will restart you in normal mode.

If you are unable to access the Internet after removing Malware you will need to run LSPfix or Winsockxpfix (as appropriate).


If you are using Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) and are unable to access the Internet after removing Malware, there is a command that may fix the problem, removing the need to run Winsockxpfix. It works by resetting the winsock catalogue. Click on Start, then Run and type CMD in the dialogue box that appears. Click OK. Type "netsh winsock reset" (no quotes)into the DOS window that appears.


The last steps

If you are running Windows XP or Windows ME, and your computer has been successfully cleaned of Malware, there is one more thing that needs to be done.

Delete any old restore points and then create a new restore one. The old ones may, of course, be infected with the Malware and cannot be used.

First, start and then stop the Restore Service. This is done differently depending on what operating system you are running.

Windows XP:

1.
Click Start, and then click Control Panel.

2.
Click Performance and Maintenance, click System, and then click on the System Restore tab.

3.
Select the Turn Off System Restore check box, click Apply, then restart your computer.

4.
Return to the System Restore Tab and turn System Restore back on.


Windows ME:

1.
Click Start, click Control Panel, click System.

2.
Click Performance, click File System, and then click Troubleshooting.

3.
Enable the option Disable System Restore, click Apply then restart your computer.

4.
Return to the Troubleshooting tab and turn System Restore back on.


To set a manual restore point complete the following steps:

1.
Click the Start button.

2.
Point to Programs, then navigate to Accessories, then System Tools, then click System Restore.

3.
Choose Create a restore point, and then click Next.

4.
In the Restore point description box, type a name for your restore point, and then click Next.

5.
Click OK.

After doing all of the above you need to change your password(S). You should never use an easy for you to remember password. You should never use a single password for everything. This Microsoft site has great information about making a strong password.

http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/privacy/password.mspx

Answer 2

The Republicans are mad as hell that Obama won. They practically invented overblown rhetoric, political hype. For years and years the Republicans used the word 'liberal' for anything they didn't like or anyone they disagreed with. Newt Gingrich called President Clinton 'the most liberal president in US history'. You'd expect more from a guy who has a PhD in American history, a Gingrich does. All he really meant was that he really really didn't like Clinton. Finally the L-word completely lost its meaning. So now they say 'communist', 'marxist', 'stalinist', 'socialist'. The words are all interchangeable. Anyone who calls Obama a marxist is showing that either he doesn't really understand Obama at all or he doesn't know what marxism is. It's just a bad word, so Obama must be one. The Republicans are throwing everything they have at Obama. They desperately want him to fail, no matter how much damage it does to the country, so they can blame all our problems on him and get back into control. Their strategy has always been to win at any cost. They don't have any good alternative ideas, so all they can do is criticize Obama and obstruct whatever he wants.

Answer 3

Sounds like someone might have put a backdoor on your system. I'd recommend downloading and installing ZoneAlarm. It's a free firewall that might, hopefully, keep them from regaining access to your pc. It'll tell you of any programs that are trying to gain access to the internet.

http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/company/products/znalm/freeDownload.jsp

Can also go to the site below and download a program called HiJackThis. It'll scan your machine and show every program thats running in the background with the option to remove them. However, if you're unsure of what you're doing, DO NOT DELETE ANYTHING! Copy a log of the scan and post it on the forums of the site. Someone there will be able to tell you what you should get rid of.

http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/programs.php

Answer 4

I would suggest that you obtain a brand new email address and only give it out to your trusted sources. Additionally, Yahoo has a feature where you can create a temp email account that automatically routes to your trusted email addr.

Otherwise, I think they already know your current email addr and possibly other security info from you PC. Maybe think about having a firwall also.

Answer 5

Change your e-mail password. Make it something complex ... like your mother's maiden name backwards + the year you were born.

If that doesn't fix it, it might mean there is a trojan type virus on your computer which lets them spy on your computer while it's connected to the internet.

I'd recommend buying a good virus scanner. Virus scanners can't detect ALL viruses, but there's a chance it might be able to detect whatever is on your computer ( IF it is indeed a virus )

Answer 6

You need to report them to your service provider. If they have access to your emails, they are hackers, and they are breaking the law. Messages that you send to other people are legally the right of you and the other people you send them to - no one else.

If they send messages to you, keep all of them, so that you can copy your service provider.

Also, double check that the email addresses you're using are all accurate, just to be sure that you're not accidentally sending to one of them, instead of your friends.

Answer 7

Send them to your provider as bad emailers- also block the addresses so you can't hear from them.

Answer 8

download the following:
SUPERAntiSpyware from
http://www.download.com/SUPERAntiSpyware-Free-Edition/3641-8022_4-9588728.html
run it.
===================================
if you are using wireless internet access,
then that is how they are getting into your stuff
===================================
you can set your email options to block the email as spam
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don't give out your personal contact info. on the computer
====================================
change your password often

Answer 9

Could it be a neighbor who is hacking into your system with some type of wireless device? Have you tried the FBI?