AOL confirms Mail service hacked

AOL email addresses have been compromised and are sending out spam

This July 2006 file photo shows a collection of CD's containing promotional software for AOL's internet service in New York.(Photo: Mark Lennihan, AP)

AOL Mail has been hacked and several users have reported their accounts are being used to send spam to others.

Although AOL has confirmed the hack, which thousands were complaining about on Twitter^[1], it is currently unknown how widespread the issue is.

"AOL takes the safety and security of consumers very seriously, and we are actively addressing consumer complaints," AOL said in a statement. "We are working to resolve the issue of account spoofing to keep users and their respective accounts running smoothly and securely."

Users' AOL email accounts are sending messages that contain a link in them which could lead to malware, viruses or phishing attacks.

This screenshot shows a spam message sent by a hacked AOL Mail account.(Photo: Brandon Carte, USA TODAY)

"If you do find email in your Sent folder that you did not send, your account has been compromised (hacked)," AOL's help page on spoofing states. "If you do not find any strange email in your Sent folder, your account has most likely been spoofed."

AOL recommends users change their passwords and visit their help pages on spoofing^[2] and security^[3] more info.

The official AOL Mail Help Twitter page^[4] has also been responding to users' tweets from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. PT.