SPAM REPORT REVEALS WHAT MAKES US CLICK by Scott Budman
Silicon Valley computer security company McAfee just released its latest spam report detailing the top 20 spam subject lines. You’ve probably seen several of them. Many are innocuous; for example, “Hello” tops the list of subject lines. “Hi,” “Aloha,” and “Hey” are up there, too. “Discount” is common, as in “Click here for discount watches.”
Viagra and Pfizer (the company making Viagra) rise to the top as well, along with seemingly helpful statements, like “Subscribe to this?” and “Delivery Status Notification.” And, if “Viagra” is popular, so, in turns out is “virtualization webinar.”
In the UK, “Salute, man!” is oddly popular.
Computer ’spam’ is obviously a big pain in the neck to any of us who use email, but what you may not know is what spam costs companies.
McAfee says the time, money, and effort spent by companies to try and block spam, not to mention clearing out what gets in, rises by the month, and is now officially a barrier to smooth international commerce. And for anyone concerned about the environment, there’s this: Spam costs $3 billion a year in electricity alone.
So, what do we do if we’re not in the market for Hawaiian real estate, sexual potency drugs, or the riches of the deposed dictator of Cameroon?
McAfee itself says, as you might imagine, that you should keep your antivirus software up to date. Okay. But let’s also use some common sense. All these spammers need is a tiny percentage of people to fall for what they’re selling. That’s what keeps them going. Do your part to shut them down, and maybe, just maybe, we’ll turn Spam-A-Lot into Spam-A-Littte-Less.
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13 Comments
1. Pajamas Media » Spam Report Reveals What Makes Us Click:[...] the entire story here [...]
Jul 9, 2009 - 12:08 pm 2. Jason4:WHO are these dullards who not only open spam messages but also fall for the crap they’re selling? I want to know!
Jul 9, 2009 - 6:23 pm 3. Wallace:A great majority of spam is created by a relatively few criminals increasingly in places like China, Russia and Eastern Europe. Spammers purchase “net blocks”….huge numbers of IP addresses among which they can rapidly shift. These become quickly known to those watching spammers. Until Internet companies start blocking these IP addresses, which they can do, there is little hope.
Jul 9, 2009 - 8:46 pm 4. poul:quick! to the romero-copter!
Jul 9, 2009 - 10:14 pm 5. eon:Another source of spam is friends and relatives. In my case, one of my cousins added me to their Facebook account as a “friend” (without asking my permission first) and suddenly I had more Facebook “friends” than the average Hollywood celebrity. All of whom wanted me to “make money” with them, and most of whom could not accurately spell or parse a sentence in English. Not to mention all being named “Doctor” or “Solicitor” somebody-or-other, and always typing their name and subject line all in capital letters.
Updated antivirus software and firewalls are effective against malware, but defeating spam generally requires more non-automatic measures. Simply put, you have to learn the distinctive “footprints” of the perpetrators, and learn not to fall for their tricks.
clear ether
eon
Jul 10, 2009 - 4:10 am 6. carol:our junk mail goes in a sep comp file and we delete, never open.
Agreed, who are those people that open junk mail and fall for the b.s…just delete it. There are days I get over 100 junks mails. Yeah, a lot of those…”Lord Ashley needs your help with his money” attention lines…
Also, I get a lot “send this on in 4 hours or your world will collapse ” stuff from well meaning friends, I cringe at that stuff. there will be a couple of hundred email addresses attached at times. Please use your BCC…it keeps the emails out of the hands of others.
Jul 10, 2009 - 7:23 am 7. Delia:There are two ’sacred’ emails I use only for my main account info and for shopping.
All of my ‘other’ emails are used for friends and swapped out on a regular basis if I start getting spammed. I never ‘fall’ for the spam but it’s just annoying having a mailbox full of it and trying to wade through it [even with mail rules].
I do annoy my friends and relatives when I’m always changing my email accounts but, sometimes it’s their fault too. lol
Jul 10, 2009 - 8:58 am 8. GlobalObserver:No one every talks about the positive benefits of SPAM mail, but my life is greatly improving as a result of these unsolicited opportunities.
I’m about to earn $1,000 a day from a simple work-at-home program where I do nothing, now have cheap insurance rates, will soon be receiving $23,000,000 in a bank transfer from Africa, and after ordering some miracle pills will finally be able to enjoy the benefits of my super-sized manhood thanks to websites populated by horny housewives and beautiful models of pure heart seeking multimillionaires.
LIFE IS GOOD!
Jul 10, 2009 - 10:34 am 9. Dr. Bukk:Although they cost a lot more initially, Mac’s are usable for nearly 10 years and no software is required for spyware or virus protection because they send updates all the time. The Mail app. filters out spam. 467 for me in the last week.
Jul 10, 2009 - 11:29 am 10. misanthropicus:RE #8′ GlobalObserver
Citibank N.A.
Citigroup Centre
25 Canada Square
Canary Wharf
London E14 5LB
Attention: Family GlobalObserver, Fund Beneficiary,
This is to notify you that you are among the listed names forwarded to this bank by the United Nations Organization Body represented by Sir, Arnold Parrish as the Chairman Compensation Committee of the United Nation Organization with your Issued Enquiry Notification Code: UNO/1102/US-08ZZ/09. This is as regards to the outcome of the meeting held in United Nation Head Quarter in conjunction with the United States Government, the British Government, European Union, Asian Union Organization, the World Bank Group and all the relevant Investigation Agencies of the government involved like FBI, CIA, British Scotland Yard, EFCC delegates for the release of your entitlement/compensation of US$5 million Fund payment, as regards to your over-due outstanding payment which was fully endorsed in your favour accordingly.
As a matter of fact, I have been mandated as the Managing Director Citibank N.A. London to handle the release of your entitlement/compensation fund payment from the reserve escrow account of United Nation Organization with Citibank N.A. of London to your nominated Bank account upon the receipt of your reconfirmed information below for verification and legalization for the fund release. I very closely detail you to desist from and STOP further communication with any office other than this assigned bank herein as the security agencies closely monitor this development. You are to quote the above Enquiry Notification Code to this bank in all your correspondence for immediate release of your fund.
In view of this email to you, we receive letter recently from a lawyer named Barrister Joel A. Goodman Ohio Hawaii USA who contacted us and also presented to us all the necessary documentation’s evidence of your claim purported to have been signed personally by you prior to the release of your transactional fund valued at about US$5,000,000.00 (Five Million United States Dollars), for this reason we demand to hear from you direct to reconfirm to us with the below details requested and return to the Bank within 24 hours as you receive this email so that we can start processing for the immediate wire transfer of the fund from Citibank to your account. This is to avoid any impromptu in the fund transfer, which will cost you and this bank lot of damages. We have been given 72 hours to get this fund transfer to your account upon receiving your communication in that regards. Please do reconfirm below information once more and if any do attach the documents or notification you have received previously for your fund.
Conversely, if you have not actually presented Barrister Joel A. Goodman of Ohio Hawaii USA for the fund claim on your behalf, do reconfirm the below information and forward to the Head of International Operations.
Mr. Jeffrey A. Volk
Managing Director of the Global Agency and Trust Services
Division of Citibank Worldwide Securities Services (WWSS).
Citibank N.A. London
Citibank (U.S.A) Branch
Office No.: +447031965927
Email: ctbtransferdept@hotmail.com
Full Name, Full Address, Home and Direct Cell Telephone Number, Fax Number, Company Name, Company Address, Position, Occupation, Sex, Marriage Status, Age, Next of Kin and Any of your valid identification either national I. D. Card or International Passport:
Note that as soon as we confirm the receipt of this information’s either by fax or through email, your fund release will be processed and the release of the fund will be done or transfer to your nominated Bank account as you will provide within 72 hours.
You are to make sure you comply with these instructions and receive your fund as soon as possible.
One more very important information: Have it in mind that this transfer will be done through Telephone Online Banking System.
Your urgent response is highly needed to avoid any delay for the fund release.
Regards,
Mrs. Elizabeth Anthony
Foreign Payment Department
Citibank N.A.
Citigroup Centre
London E14 5LB
Office No.: +44(0)7-023044689
Fax No.: +44(0)8-715227608
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Jul 10, 2009 - 7:23 pm 11. vivo:The new spam: Tweeter.
Jul 11, 2009 - 10:08 pm 12. ice:I think there is something wrong with my spam filter because I keep getting emails that promise to increase the size of my debt and decrease the size of my penis. Is there anything I can do about this?
Jul 13, 2009 - 7:50 pm 13. Andrew Knutson:Get g-mail
Sep 3, 2009 - 9:34 am