There is a ploy by scammers to get access to email addresses and passwords of users of hotmail and probably other web based email services. They would send you an email purported to be coming from hotmail customer service, in which they would warn you that your email address would be closed because of congestion on the hotmail system. You could easily fall for it because the mail comes with a well designed hotmail interface that looks close to the Windows Live Hotmail details. They would ask you to fill in your email address, password, date of birth and country of origin. If you fall for it, they would then have access to your inbox and then send mails to your contacts in your name. Should you receive such emails, disregard them. Where possible make a report to the police. The scammers are here.