Happy spamday
Today marks another landmark in the short history of this blog. I’ve been writing it for around one and a half years, written 219 posts, approved 1,268 comments and received a grand total of 5,000 spam emails. That means that for every post I’ve received on average, 5.78 comments and 22.83 spams.
Impressive, I think you’ll agree.
Despite both working in marketing and understanding some people’s innate need to be annoying, I really don’t get spam. Why someone would bother sending out an email like ths beyond me:
NW1StA, [url=http://ybhtsgmipccw.com/]ybhtsgmipccw[/url], [link=http://mtfadzfqbbrp.com/]mtfadzfqbbrp[/link]
Even if it gets past the spamfilter to the recipient, who in their right mind is going to click on any url made up of a random collection of letters?
No, my favourite type of spam is the half-hearted attempt at authenticity:
Great site this, http://www.cocktailsandrecords.net, and I am really pleased to see you have what I am actually looking for here and this post ‘here’s-a-boring-story-about-what-some-bloke-was-wearing-on-the-bus’ is exactly what I am interested in. I shall be pleased to become a regular visitor. I hope you will visit my site yulhyyvqoz.com
Of course I will!
I know that spam works because it is quick, cheap and profitable. For every million emails that wind up in spamfilter, there will be one mug who clicks through. Who are these people though? I’m slightly curious myself, but I refuse to check out the catchily named mtfadzfqbbrp.com, even for research purposes. I’m just not going to give them the satisfaction. But has anyone ever been tempted by their spam? Come on, be honest now.
April 7th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
5000 that’s some spamming – I haven’t really been walloped with much of it. Although last week got 15 in one night from someone called ’sexy’ – which was half a screenful of chinese text..
April 7th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
I’ve often wondered about spam. It’s got to be working for somebody, otherwise I can’t imagine you have so much of it sent out. It’s like with junk mail in your snail mailbox. Most people probably trash it, but there’s going to be a few that check it out and even order from it. I guess spam is the same way. Personally I avoid it though. Cool post.
April 7th, 2009 at 8:16 pm
Ooh, spam in Chinese, that’s new. So you weren’t tempted to have a look at Sexy’s wears then?!
I think spam is like junk mail, but magnifed a million times over. And thankfully, most of our junk mail is for Chinese restaurants, new sofas and supermarket bargains rather than porn, drugs and instant money making schemes.
April 8th, 2009 at 9:22 am
don’t get much spam on my blogger sccount should I be jealous ! The only interesting thing about it is how the themes of spam change over time as the spammers try new ways of luring people. Porn wasn’t working so now they try “get rich quick”, work at home schemes becuse people are skint presumably if the markets pick-up it will be back to cheap rolexes etc.
April 8th, 2009 at 12:45 pm
Yes, be jealous BTLP! This post should have been a tribute to Akismet, my highly effective spam filter which has captured those 5,000 (now 5,011 spams). My junk mail certainly hasn’t changed much with the recession – I am still getting catalogues telling me to buy a new, trendy sofa and some pointless ornamental ducks. I don’t know how I got onto this list…