Sometimes, when I try to log into my gmail account, I get redirected to another Web page, which asks me to enter the username and password again, and also the characters shown in a box containing a stange, distorted word.
Is this legit, or is someone trying to hack my account? Does anyone else get this? What about when you change your password? I can’t find anything about this extra security measure on Gmail’s Web site.
Many thanks. I am computer stupid. 
Stray Dog
never had this, although I guess I got it when setting up the account … or was it other software? This is used sometimes to prevent bots to set-up accounts automatically, but I don’t get it in normal day to day working with gmail.
Then that worries me. :s But thanks for responding.
There’s the login page, but after I enter the details, it jumps (notvery elegantly) to the other page I mentioned. And only on my main account, not my other accounts. As I can find no mention of it on gmail Web site, I’m wondering if it’s a clever way of stealing someone’s password.
Anyone else getting this?
Sounds fishy to me. Run adaware and spybot, and delete or your cookies.
Brian
Yahoo does this too. It’s just to make sure you’re not a bot. They usually ask you to do this upon signup, and then occasionally later on as well. It’s nothing to worry about.
The word is distorted to make it harder for a bot to recognize, I would assume.
Thanks, scomargo, but why am I only getting it on my main account? And why aren’t others getting it? :s
I did what Brian suggested (cookies and adaware), and still got the page coming up. I’ll download spybot next.
I guess I should try logging in from another computer. …
UPDATE: just tried it and had to allow cookies, and it went straight into my account.
Very strange! :s
[quote=“Stray Dog”]Sometimes, when I try to log into my gmail account, I get redirected to another Web page, which asks me to enter the username and password again, and also the characters shown in a box containing a stange, distorted word.
Is this legit, or is someone trying to hack my account? Does anyone else get this? What about when you change your password? I can’t find anything about this extra security measure on Gmail’s Web site.
Many thanks. I am computer stupid.
Stray Dog[/quote]
if you log on from a public computer, that will most likely be the case, how google determins that? something to do with cookie, but not so sure.