Attention AIM Users...

[Smith6612]

I'm just letting you guys know about some AIM spam that has been going around lately. I have yet to get hit with any of these yet, but there has been some excessive spam heading around the AIM network originating from dozens of screen names consisting of messages such as "Someone has an AIM Crush on you. Click "here" to see who it is ;)" or things about sleep over parties and such. If you get a message like this, do not click on any links, as these will take you to a random site which may be a phishing site, or even worse. Instead, mark the account as a spam account or in other words, give the account sending you the spam a warning (set as report AIM Spam), and then block the screen name. Also, as a security precaution, I suggest disabling things such as file transfers and Direct Connections (and SecureIM for those Trillian users like me) to anyone who is not on your contact list, and to prompt when someone on your list does try to do any of these things, as there's been word of some bad things happening to people on the AIM forums because of random Direct Connect requests.

Just giving you guys a heads up for those of you here who use the AIM service. I do not work for AOL in any way.

[Conmiro]

My friend said he was having stuff like that happen to him. Glad I dont have AIM.

[Jarryd]

Thanks for letting us know, i know i use aim occasionally, but haven't had any problems lately. Although it is good to know that this is going around.

[Smith6612]

I only see AIM spam coming around really. MSN oddly enough, despite it's file transfers literally going at dial-up speeds on a DSL line with more throughput than a T1 line and most cable connections, actually has never given me spam problems. Yahoo has only given me some slight ones, but that was a while ago. AIM, however, I get spam coming in probably once every 2 weeks at the minimum, in which case I can simply block it. I've since applied an ability in which I am not appearing to people not on my list as online, which has stopped all of that spam. So far, all of my IM accounts and my Steam account have been signed on for an entire year solid and I've gotten my spam problems fixed with some simple settings.

[Conmiro]

I use Yahoo messenger. It seems to be the most popular and offers me the most features.

[darkX3536]

I think this warning should apply to MSN users too! I kept receiving spam mails which smell of scams to me...

[tcmstr134]

Really? I havent been on AIM for awhile, but last I logged in, i wasnt reciving any spam. May I ask when you began to recive these messages?

[Spartan Erik]

Does this apply to all AIM users or just users of newer versions of AIM?

I'm still running a modded 5.2.3292 as it's memory usage is low and serves its purpose as an IM client.

[Smith6612]

All AIM users. I have never in my 3 years of having DSL here (my first and only high speed connection to date) used AIM because of how bloated it is. Heck, I don't even use it on my fastest computers here. I use Trillian instead.

[Spartan Erik]

4,000K isn't too bloated IMO. How much memory does Trillian use?