Retro Spam

Retro Spam

Friday, 19 October 2007 14:24

I'm still getting spammed with emails from drugs companies, but the tactic seems to have gone back to clearly stating what they are trying to sell you.

We used to be inundated with spam offering cheap VIAGRA, as users (more specifically, spam filters) became wise spam filters started stopping emails that contain the word VIAGRA. To get around this, the emails would be sent out offering cheap VI@gra, V1_agra, and a ever increasing range of combinations that didn't quite say Viagra in order to get past the spam filters.

Not sure what the actual success rate is for this type of approach is, but i am assuming that anyone who has setup their spam filters to stop VIAGRA will not suddenly wish to buy the product just because it is now called VI@GRA.

I might be wrong about this, but I have never met a VIAGRA spammer to ask them!

Just recently we seem to have come full circle and the email title is saying "Cheap VIAGRA" again, this seems like a good marketing strategy to me, if you are after VIAGRA, you are sure to want to receive the email and will not have a spam filter in place - therefore the spammer has reached his target audience.

I would like to name this return to the good old ways, as Retro Spamming.
Keep your eyes peeled for Retro Spam, coming to a email box near you!