Talk me through spam. Who writes it? Why? What do they hope to get out of it?
I imagine that if it was a solid marketing message spammed onto carefully targeted blogs… well, it would still piss me off royally, but at least I could understand it. There’s always someone who buys that stuff thereby opening the floodgates.
But, really, I don’t want to BOYCOTT AMERICAN WOMEN, despite the fact that you’ve asked me to about 128 times now. Nor am I particularly fond of your broken-English promise to love my blog for all iturnity. And, please, I’m just not that into obscure Russian invitations to… er, what exactly?
Where do you come from? I don’t understand.
Don’t worry, I’m in no danger of turning back on my word verification. I probably get about six spams a day and the spam catcher thingy gets those. But, ooooooooh, ANOTHER scrouge on the world that I have to almost-read so I know that I don’t want to read it. Like a lot of advertising (ssssshhhhh… I didn’t just say that… you know I LOVE my advertising industry… but only the really good, clever, entertaining stuff… and I still don’t want to buy anything!)
[Image via Buzzfeed]
Alice Becomes says
hmmm, i dont read or respond to unsolicited emails…never bought something from a telemarketer
did work as a telephone market researcher for a brief period, but I really felt way too intrusive doing it and gave it up pretty quickly…Seriously, people do not want to be called at home at 7 pm and asked how many eggs they use each week…And I don’t blame them!
Gill xo
Sarah says
No, no and no. I LOATHE spam. And yes I still have word verification on my blog because it irritates me so much. Almost as much as finding I have no milk for my tea in the morning. And you don’t want to talk to me before I’ve had my daily brew. Though that might be a good time for me to talk to a telemarketer π
oscar and ruby says
Funny you should ask! My husband is trying to sell our car and is in a email convo at the moment with a man living in ‘Bermuda’. He writes that he really really wants to buy our car (um, a 1996 Corolla) and all he needs is our paypal details, then he will send a courier to collect the car. There has been about 5 emails back and forth, they are getting more and more ridiculous! Quite entertaining really.
Jane says
No, Bron – emails are sent to the junk filter if they haven’t already reached there and then I ‘sweep’ that folder which means I never receive emails from that email address again. It works a treat. I’m so pleased you’re holding the line on word veri! J x
Flaming Nora says
There was a comedy programme on bbc radio 4 not so long ago called The Bob Servant Emails. Very funny if you can track it down on the internet its really well worth a listen. Sounds as though it was taking oscar and ruby’s car conversation to the next level and the one above that. Highly recommend it.
On another note i do know some one who got sucked in to one of these spam scams and lost a lot of money. How? why? Surely the bad grammar is the very first indication that it’s a hoax. So I guess that is why they do it. For every 10000 people who delete it 1 takes it seriously. Sad really.
Carmel's Closet says
When I was growing up in London, SPAM was meat in a can. Anangram for Specially Processed American Meat, left over from the ration era. We were served it deep fried in batter on our school dinner menu. Wierd, but I think I remember actually eating it. Years later I find it being served up to me on my computer. This time it’s not deep fried and highly unappetising. I find the Blog filter does work for me. Sometimes I do go through the SPAM inbox just for pure entertainment by disbelief.
No I’ve never answered any SPAM emails and find it incredulous that such a large number of people find themselves in financial ruin from following email led instructions from strangers and poseurs. Although I feel sorry for them, I just can’t imagine getting in such a fix. I’ve just come to terms with the fact it exists and try not to let it ruin my moments and am very deft with the delete button.
I’m drivelling like SPAM here.
Off to disconnect the telephone – it’s that time of day.
Carmel
Toni says
Today I had a call from a woman with a very heavy accent, who said she had had a message from Microsoft that my computer had been attacked by viruses, and would I please go on-line so she could talk me through what to do next.
Seriously?
The sad thing is, I know someone is going to fall for that.
MomAgain@40 says
*delete!* Love that button!
Simoney says
hahaha yep my anonymous spam attacks via comments has increased noticeably… and like you I wonder, what on earth? What on earth are they trying to say? It makes NO SENSE!?!
So yay for the auto-spam isolater on blogger which sends most anonymous comments to the spam box; occasionally I get a genuine anonymous comment worth reading from someone who is NOT a blogger and doesn’t know how to navigate a google profile. For thiose few people I leave my anonymous comment option ON.
In the meantime… I just wonder… WHO has the time to Spam us all so randomly??
Felicity says
I’m with Jane on this one all the way.
Worse is when they sneak through and become a follower – I’ve had to blip a few of those away too.
x F
Mrs Woog says
Delete anything in my spammy folder. Straight up. Unless I win the British Lotto or a rich man died in The Ivory Coast and leaves me all their money. Then SCORE!
xx
E. says
I got my first spam commenter the other day. The Blogger spam filter caught it. I figured now I’m one of the cool kids.
MaidInAustralia says
I hate spam, I hate telemarketing, I hate supermarket touts, I hate doorstoppers. If I want to buy something, donate to charity, or join a church, I’ll do so in my own time thank you.
Karen Wilson says
I don’t get most ‘normal’ advertising anyway. I might remember a fun/catchy ad on TV but I never remember the brand of the product anyawy so obviously it didn’t work. And I never understood how seeing the word ‘Hyundai’ on the stadium wall at a soccer game was going to make me choose that model of car next time I went shopping for one….
So spam is even more of a mystery to me!!
Karen Wilson says
Oh, and what a brilliant picture you chose!
1000 Homes of Happiness says
ahhh, I delete away! We have the private number thingy as well and that appears to have wiped out all of the 7pm telemarket phone calls.
xoxox
Notchka says
Lovely spam, wonderful spam Spaaaaaaaaam (oh crikey I’m having a Monty Python moment). Someone must buy that sh*t but I haven’t met a person yet who will admit it.
Miss Pink says
No, no and no.
Besides if i wanted to donate to a charity i would. We all know there is one for just about anything and they’re easy enough to find. A simple flyer drop would be enough.
Maxabella says
Spammers can follow me, Felicity? Oooooooh, that explains a lot! x
Posie Patchwork says
Oh i’d never respond, too many scary trojans. My most popular blog spammers are yes, those ‘reject American women’ ones, ‘married wives club looking for affairs’, of course the ‘jammers’ & my favourite ‘thank the author for this post, it was really useful to me in the future, milan escourts’. So glad i’m popular with prostitutes!! Love Posie
Catherine says
Oh I am so tired of the spam, as if I’m going to give my bank details so I can get my lotto win from the UK. They seem to go straight to the junk and then they’re deleted never to responded to again.
Glen says
Hello,
I am British Prime Minister Nick Cameron, and came to your brilliant blog which I know is the best blog, by lucky chance.
Things are a bit ropey with British finances right now, I should know, and so what I really need is to hide some of my British pounds sterling somwhere and can I see that you are trustworthy parent blogger so would like you to look after it for me until it is all clear and I can use it to fund my addiction to Thai ladyboys.
So please be sending me your bank details and £3000 to cover the tax so that I can put the millions into your account.
I will need the money back in two years but you can keep the interest which will be in making us all rich and supplying you with a good life.
I order to prevent British Chancellor Norman Lamont from finding out what I am doing and trying to copy the idea, can you be sending the £3000 as Nigerien Dollars as i can filter it through a special account I have set up over there.
thanks British Prime Minister Nick Cameron.
Frog, Goose and Bear says
I keep my word verification on – sorry gals. i just get too weirded out by the spam and it just makes me feel gross.
Maxabella says
This comment has been removed by the author.
Tai Tai says
Apparently I’ve won about $356 billion since I turned my word verification off! Lucky me, eh? I hang the phone up as soon as I hear the other person at the end of the line and realise WHO it really is…..
Tat says
Charity that spams makes me really angry. What a waste of charity $$! When they call me, I usually tell them to add it to their files that I don’t want to be called or sent any mail. If they ignore my request (for some reason most of them do), I stop donating. Sadly, this rules out a lot of charities…
Kymmie says
No on all three counts! There certainly are some loopy loops out there. I’ve just read Bigwords reality check on her life vs. her online life. And ever since I started blogging, I’ve wondered if I should have been more anonymous or used an pseudom like you. But my blog is a journal of our family life, so it will stay as is, but my junk comments go to the trash and then I just block them. No biggie. Oh yes, and we contacted the government website that blocks telemarketing calls. And if one sneaks through, then I ask them what time they’re having dinner so I can call THEM back!
xx
Mama of 2 boys says
Spam sucks the big one! And I’m so glad you raised this and asked the question, as I thought it was just my technology challenged brain that didn’t ‘get’ spam. I have NO idea where it comes from, but I always seem to get the ones about erection problems, go figure!
I have even received a threatening one, asking for money… or else!
I certainly don’t and never would respond. I bin them as quickly as they appear in my inbox/spam box.
Mommy Lisa says
I don’t get hardly any spam comments – I think ~3 in the last 3.5 years of blogging.
Never bought anything or donated to unsolicited calls – except old clothing and household items to the DAV – and I do NOT think that charities and political parties should be exempt from the Do Not Call list.
Naturally Carol says
We get spam too…viagra and vast winnings from dozens of countries! We delete it, not respond to it. No we don’t buy stuff from telemarketers either..I wonder, do both of the above only get a certain unstable category of people to respond? Charities..I responded once to fire services who phoned, which I was disappointed to find out later..gave no funds to our local area…it was like giving to consolidated revenue! It was such a pain to have to send them a money order after everything..so I much prefer to give to local charities that local people are collecting for.
ForeverRhonda says
I never respond to unsolicited email. I have gotten a huge chunk of Nigerian mail lately. Apparently if I just give them all my personal information I can have like $140 million US dollars. Neat huh?
Kristy says
I don’t have any patience for it. The door to door stuff really bothers me too. Do not bother me at my own house for crying out loud!
Ooh Baby - All things Cuteable says
Hee hee, I used to work for Maiden Outdoor and JCDecaux!!! Thanks for making me laugh today, I was having a crap one ;o)
ange_moore says
The charities annoy me. They ring at dinner time, they hear the kids screaming in the background and continue to insist on talking to me. I feel bad telling them now is not a good time (because we have made a regular commitment to a few chosen charities) and I don’t want to be bothered by the others trying to sell raffle tickets.
You have to laugh at some of the spam emails though – bad spelling, unbelievable offers = too good to be true. I don’t understand how people can get sucked into this but it only takes one in a million and they’re probably making good money.
Vanessa says
We have an intercom on our front gate and last week I had a woman ask if I could see her while talking to her. When I said no she said she was my cleaner. Unfortunately I don’t have a cleaner so I went outside to speak to her. She was from a charity I really respect and I was so angry at her for lying, that I told her. I said she risked annoying a lot of people and the reputation of the charity. She apologised and I said to leave the paperwork and I would consider calling them if I wanted to contribute.
Tricia Rose says
You don’t want me to tell you I am now living on the millions a kind Nigerian gentleman offered me in return for a trifling favour, do you?
Clarinda says
I prefer to sought out what I want myself
little love says
I have to say I hate it the most when charities cold call! I feel like such a tight-arse saying no, but if I dontaed to every charity that called I’d have to be calling on sme of them myself! xx
Ruby Star says
My guess is that it does work on those naieve to the evils of it and therfore they contine to pump it out and clog up the in box.
@ little love, we choose 2 charities a year to support and tell said cold caller / door knocker we are already have chosen charities, they understand and you’re right, you can’t give to them all π
Being Me says
We do the same, Ruby Star.
Yes, I’ve replied to unsolicited email before. I’ll never do it again! They act as if you’re in the wrong/ incorrect for telling them you don’t want their services and could they please now remove your email address from whatever list they have you on…. Pillocks.