Thunderbird- what has this idiot done now?

[Broadback]

Something stupid that is for sure. Posts have become deformed, well new ones are coming through OK. This is typical of what they are:
Subject; SVC
The faulty ones are all from - MildredRof
Here is the text: *    s c v*

[Links removed by Simon]

I accidentally pressed a key, no idea which one but this was the result. any ideas please? New posts are coming in OK, but replies to the faulty ones are garbage! 

[Simon]

Sorry, BB, but having clicked on two of them, I believe those were potentially malicious links, so I've had to remove them.  One appeared to be to a Russian website.

I don't know what you might have done but would suggest checking language settings and also that you have up to date anti-virus & anti-malware protection.

[Broadback]

It seems that I was not alone in this problem It was a clever(?) spammer, I have kill filed the culprit all now seems well. As I use Eset, which I swear by, I am pretty certain it was not malicious.