strange characters in data import

Hello, I am using a DTS package to import data from DBF files nightly.
Recently, it has started to include spurious =EC characters into the =EC
data; just like you see in =EC this post. The data does not exisit in
the =EC fields of the DBF file.

To my knowledge, nothing has changed in the =EC dbf file that I import
from, or the DTS package. The only thing that might coorespond to this
change =EC would be that I updated to SQL Server 2000 Service Pack 4
recently.

(this is on Windows =EC 2003 server)

Any ideas?

Thanks.

( =EC s included for effect)