Vioxx: Number 1 on spam list
p2pnet.net News:- CAN-SPAM notwithstanding, the US was recently revealed as the World’s Worst spam country, and now Vioxx has been dubbed the Most Mentioned in the World’s Worst spam subject lines.
And, gone are most of the small-time’ spammers leaving only the ‘hardcore kingpins,’ says AOL in a list of Most Mentioned in spam subject lines.
“On the ‘outs’ are old spam terms such as ‘Oprah’, ‘Teens’, and ‘Viagra’,” says its list of the, “most widely sent junk email subject lines for 2004, as based on the assessments and analysis of AOL’s Antispam and Postmaster teams”.
On differences between last year’s Top 10, AOL’s first, and this year’s, “First and foremost was the rise in spam emails carrying ‘phishing’, or identity theft scams, which included information/data theft schemes, those citing ‘inheritances’ to be collected, and the infamous ‘Nigerian’ scam,” it says.
This refers to the ongoing flood of 419 scams originating in Nigeria.
“Second,” says AOL, “there was a switch by spammers to more text-based spam instead of image-based spam, especially as it pertains to adult-themed junk emails.
“Third, there was much less so-called ‘porn spam’ in 2004 as compared to 2003.
“Fourth, much more spam in 2004 contained simply a URL address or hyperlink, and nothing else.
“Lastly, AOL noted that the type of spam isn’t the only thing that’s changed in 2004: the kind of spammer sending has also undergone a ‘virtual makeover’.”
Spammers are more sophisticated, nefarious, shadowy, devious, deceitful, sneaky, malicious, and “dedicated” in the manner in which they send spam, adds AOL.
Top 10 Spam Email Subject Lines of 2004
- “We carry the most popular medications” (Vioxx appeared often*)
- “You’ve been sent an Insta-Kiss!” (phishing/ID theft scam*)
- “You Have 17 New Pictures” (phishing/ID theft scam*)
- “STEAMY HOT LESBIAN ACTION LIVE ON CAMERA!”
- “All orders are shipped from authorized locations” (re: online medications*)
- “2005 Digital Cable Filters”
- “F R E E* 30 Second Pre-Qualification MORTGAGE Application”
- “HURRY HURRY Hot Stock on the RISE”
- “Sale PRICES ARE BEST ONLINE!”
- “Breaking news on the Top Pick stock”
* Italics in parentheses are AOL’s own notations.
“This list is unscientific,” AOL points out, “and is not in any specific order. The cited email subject headers are not ranked by volume within the Top 10 list.”
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See:-
hardcore kingpins – America Online Announces 2nd Annual ‘Top 10 Spam Terms’, AOL, December 29, 2004
spam country – US: world’s worst spammer, p2pnet, December 27, 2004
419 scams - BUSINESS PROPOSAL!!!!, p2pnet, December 18, 2004
