Outlook contacts purged

JT · External Since: Mar 07, 2006 Posts: 48

Hi: I'm been using Outlook 2003 SP2 on XP successfully for several years.
Last week, when my computer was switched off and I was away, a spam email
was sent from "me" to all of my contacts (which I got on my Blackberry) and
when I re-logged on I've found all of my Outlook Contacts have been purged.

I run Trend anti-virus and Malwarebytes (free) Malware. Neither have picked
up any "problems", despite full system scans. I've spoken to Trend and they
say no virus could do this, it's an Outlook problem.

Has anyone heard of / experienced this and, if so, can you offer any
assistance?

JT · External Since: Mar 07, 2006 Posts: 48

BTW Gordon. The forum says there are two answers, but I can only find yours.
I'm new at this: can you tell me how to find the others please?
Am signing off for tonight, so will pick up my search tomomorrow.
JT

"JT" wrote:

> Hi: I'm been using Outlook 2003 SP2 on XP successfully for several years.
> Last week, when my computer was switched off and I was away, a spam email
> was sent from "me" to all of my contacts (which I got on my Blackberry) and
> when I re-logged on I've found all of my Outlook Contacts have been purged.
>
> I run Trend anti-virus and Malwarebytes (free) Malware. Neither have picked
> up any "problems", despite full system scans. I've spoken to Trend and they
> say no virus could do this, it's an Outlook problem.
>
> Has anyone heard of / experienced this and, if so, can you offer any
> assistance?

Gordon · External Since: Mar 09, 2009 Posts: 210

"JT" <JT.TakeThisOut@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:4A4B7C61-3079-4ACB-8978-ABB2F38BA413@microsoft.com...
> Hi: I'm been using Outlook 2003 SP2 on XP successfully for several years.
> Last week, when my computer was switched off and I was away, a spam email
> was sent from "me" to all of my contacts (which I got on my Blackberry)
> and
> when I re-logged on I've found all of my Outlook Contacts have been
> purged.
>
> I run Trend anti-virus and Malwarebytes (free) Malware. Neither have
> picked
> up any "problems", despite full system scans. I've spoken to Trend and
> they
> say no virus could do this, it's an Outlook problem.
>
> Has anyone heard of / experienced this and, if so, can you offer any
> assistance?

Firstly Outlook CANNOT receive email when it's closed and the computer
switched off, so the spam email couldn't possibly have any effect on your
contacts at ALL.
So that's a red herring then.

Is it just your Contacts that have disappeared, or has other stuff vanished
as well?

JT · External Since: Mar 07, 2006 Posts: 48

Almost everything else seems to be in order, Gordon.
Am having difficulty sending from Outlook (have swapped email folders and
it's happening in both)

"Gordon" wrote:

>
> "JT" <JT.TakeThisOut@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:4A4B7C61-3079-4ACB-8978-ABB2F38BA413@microsoft.com...
> > Hi: I'm been using Outlook 2003 SP2 on XP successfully for several years.
> > Last week, when my computer was switched off and I was away, a spam email
> > was sent from "me" to all of my contacts (which I got on my Blackberry)
> > and
> > when I re-logged on I've found all of my Outlook Contacts have been
> > purged.
> >
> > I run Trend anti-virus and Malwarebytes (free) Malware. Neither have
> > picked
> > up any "problems", despite full system scans. I've spoken to Trend and
> > they
> > say no virus could do this, it's an Outlook problem.
> >
> > Has anyone heard of / experienced this and, if so, can you offer any
> > assistance?
>
> Firstly Outlook CANNOT receive email when it's closed and the computer
> switched off, so the spam email couldn't possibly have any effect on your
> contacts at ALL.
> So that's a red herring then.
>
> Is it just your Contacts that have disappeared, or has other stuff vanished
> as well?
>
>

Brian Tillman [MVP - Outl · External Since: Jan 08, 2009 Posts: 985

"JT" <JT RemoveThis @discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:30562071-12C1-4EDE-90DA-CBD3A7F70729@microsoft.com...

> Almost everything else seems to be in order, Gordon.
> Am having difficulty sending from Outlook (have swapped email folders and
> it's happening in both)

What does "swapped email folders" mean?
--
Brian Tillman [MVP-Outlook]

JT · External Since: Mar 07, 2006 Posts: 48

When there's a blockage (too big a file or some issue with sending), I have a
seperate email folder I receive mail to so that I can clean the one with the
issue. I set up via Tools | Email Accounts | Delivery new email to ...

Joanne

"Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]" wrote:

> "JT" <JT.DeleteThis@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:30562071-12C1-4EDE-90DA-CBD3A7F70729@microsoft.com...
>
> > Almost everything else seems to be in order, Gordon.
> > Am having difficulty sending from Outlook (have swapped email folders and
> > it's happening in both)
>
> What does "swapped email folders" mean?
> --
> Brian Tillman [MVP-Outlook]
>
>

Diane Poremsky [MVP] · External Since: Jul 28, 2005 Posts: 6715

Are you looking at the contacts folder or the address book (clicking the To
button)?

--

Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]
Outlook Tips: http://www.outlook-tips.net/
Outlook & Exchange Solutions Center: http://www.slipstick.com/

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mailto:dailytips-subscribe-request@lists.outlooktips.net

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"JT" <JT.TakeThisOut@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:4A4B7C61-3079-4ACB-8978-ABB2F38BA413@microsoft.com...
> Hi: I'm been using Outlook 2003 SP2 on XP successfully for several years.
> Last week, when my computer was switched off and I was away, a spam email
> was sent from "me" to all of my contacts (which I got on my Blackberry)
> and
> when I re-logged on I've found all of my Outlook Contacts have been
> purged.
>
> I run Trend anti-virus and Malwarebytes (free) Malware. Neither have
> picked
> up any "problems", despite full system scans. I've spoken to Trend and
> they
> say no virus could do this, it's an Outlook problem.
>
> Has anyone heard of / experienced this and, if so, can you offer any
> assistance?

Brian Tillman [MVP - Outl · External Since: Jan 08, 2009 Posts: 985

"JT" <JT.DeleteThis@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:34F53E35-D284-4FCE-85AD-244089624F20@microsoft.com...

> When there's a blockage (too big a file or some issue with sending), I have
> a
> seperate email folder I receive mail to so that I can clean the one with the
> issue. I set up via Tools | Email Accounts | Delivery new email to ...

You can't tell Outlook to receive messages to any folder other than Inbox.
You are describing using a different delivery location, which makes changes
ALL of the default folders, not just the Inbox. If you have your contacts in
one PST and switch to a different delivery location with an empty Contacts
folder, then of course when you sync, things may get a little scrambled
because Outlook is seeing different data now. I don't believe the reception
of the junk message was the cause.
--
Brian Tillman [MVP-Outlook]