Delete hotmail account but keep MSN messenger

Question

Is it possible to delete hotmail account but keep MSN messenger. My hotmail account got hacked into sending spam and I'm just fed up. I want to get rid of the email account but unfortunately I do use msn messenger. What should I do?

Answer 1

You don't need to have a hotmail account to use MSN messenger. I don't. The problem however is that you need to change the e-mail associated with your account.

You could go to live.com and log in. There on the right side, you'll see your username. Move mouse over it and option Account will show up. There in the bottom part of the page, you'll see other options and in that area "your e-mail addresses". Click there and change the address to another address.

This should allow you to move to a new address and keep your MSN contacts with no intervention on their side (or at least it did for me few years ago).

Answer 2

Are you sure that the spam is really physically coming from your account ?

A spammer has no need to hack your account in order to send email that seems to have come from you. This is actually quite easy to do, and all he really needs to know (or guess) is that your account exists. The spam email could originate from anywhere in the world, and not just from your account, but is faked to look as if you have sent it.

So if you do not see the spam in your sent-mail folder, there is no reason to think that your account was hacked. Changing your password to something long and complex should be enough as a security measure.

I would also do some antivirus scans by several antivirus products to ensure that you are not infected with a keylogger type of virus. With this kind of a virus installed, all your transactions and passwords may be compromised. Ensure also that your bank-account is insured, if you do buy online.