Has someone hijacked my email account?

[BlackVelvetElvis]

Today I received an "unable to deliver" message from my roadrunner account. The problem is it was an email to a prodigy account that I never sent in the first place. I contacted Time Warner's help desk and got someone in India (surprise) who advised me to forward it to their security sector.
Needless to say, I'm suspicious and concerned. How does one go about protecting their email accounts?

[MercutioATC]

1. Have you run a virus scan lately???

Sounds like a virus to me.

[BlackVelvetElvis]

2. Yesterday and today I got emails with W32.NetskyB attached

RR security eliminated the attachment but I still got the email.
I am on a Mac, so there is no danger from the virus.
Should I still worry?

[southerngirlwriter]

5. I'm on a Mac, too -- and I can tell you exactly what happened.

One of your friends got a virus that sends out e-mails to everyone in their address book, but makes it appear that it came from someone else in their address book. When one of them didn't get deliver, it bounced back to the address it APPEARED to come from -- yours.

This happened to me twice, and both times I freaked out and carried my iBook to my Mac guru, and he assured me that this is what's happening.

I know it's a little confusing -- I can explain more if you need me to.

Relax. You're okay. :D

[BlackVelvetElvis]

6. Thanks for that, I get what happened.

The original virus email was sent from an address from the school I teach at.
One can't be too careful these days.
I feel so used! I hate parasites. Don't these idiots have anything better to do?
But as long as I am okay...!

[pintobean]

3. Be careful

Usually, there's another email with it that has an attachment. DO NOT OPEN IT. It may claim to be a fix, but it's a virus. I've gotten two of these in the last two days.

[Stephanie]

4. I've had the same problem - my email has been rejected by AOL

Now short of telling half my friends that AOL sux and they should get rid of it....

I think the virus can snag your address from any address book that it's stored in, and then send out the virus under your name. The virus would never have to touch YOUR computer, just your friend's computer that has your address stored.

I think....