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Why has my iPad downloaded over 7000 spam messages into a folder called gmail/all mail? I have not set up a gmail account on my iPad
iPad 2, iOS 5.1.1
I have no idea why this happened but try a reset of your iPad.
Reset the iPad by holding down on the sleep and home buttons at the same time for about 10-15 seconds until the Apple Logo appears - ignore the red slider - let go of the buttons.
Oh no!!!!!! 😮
It's the dreaded Gmail, spam virus!!!!!! 👿
Let's not scare the living daylights out of the OP! 😉
As you can see, the Devil made me do it!
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour;
1 Peter 5:8
Demo
If I do this will I have to set up the Ipad all over again? I have used iTunes to restore to factory setting and set up my email account but thes did not solve my problem.
What Demo suggested is the same as restarting your computer, it does not alter any of the content. But if you have restored the iPad to the factory settings and that didn't solve the issue, then a reset will likely have to effect.
What kind of email account do you have? Who is your email service provider? Is there a web access for this account? Do you also have this account configured in an app on your computer?
No you will not have to set up the iPad all over again. Resetting the iPad is like rebooting your computer. You will lose no apps, data, settings .... Nothing at all. I like to use the expression that it's like "clearing out the cobwebs" on the iPad's memory.
The reason I am suggesting this is that there are some other sort of bizarre issues that occur in the mail app and the reset seems to clear up those issues. So I think it is worth a try.
On the other hand, if you have restored the iPad to factory settings, I don't know that it will help. If nothing else works, try going to your web mail using a browser and see if you can't deal with this in there.
Demo
When I retored to factory settings I did not set op a web mail account. I just used the "other" prompt to add my ntl (now run by virgin media) account. However when I select this account it shows a gmail folder with all it's associated subfolders and it is in the "all mail" folder under gmail that the 7000+ messages apear, and they go back at least 2 years. If I delete these messages they are immediately downloaded again.
If you have an email account anywhere, with any provider, you have web mail. This isn't something that you have to set up on the iPad. I mean that you should log in with a web browser.
I am suggesting that you sign into your email on the Internet and see if this folder shows up on the server and maybe you can delete it from there. Does this look familiar to you?
http://www.virginmedia.com/account/email-sign-in.php?domain=ntlworld.com
Did you try the reset?
The folder is on your email server account (it is IMAP account) and the iPad is simply displaying what is there.
Delete the gmail folder, not the messages in this folder.
In the Mail app...
Why has my iPad downloaded over 7000 spam messages into a folder called gmail/all mail? I have not set up a gmail account on my iPad
