Spam News

Consumers 'buying into spam'

Friday, August 22, 2008

A significant number of internet users are buying products advertised in spam mail, it has been reported.

In research carried out by Marshal more than a quarter (29 per cent) of people were revealed to purchase items - such as sexual enhancement pills and software - from junk emails.

The firm also revealed that luxury products - for instance clothes, footwear and jewellery - are also popular things for spam mail readers to buy.

Overall, it was suggested that less then ten purchases are made for every one million spam mail messages which are sent. However it was reported that the majority of such rogue emails are blocked by spam filters meaning that they never reach consumers' inboxes

However, Bradley Anstis, vice-president of products for Marshal, pointed out: "Enough people are purchasing products from spam to make it a worthwhile and profitable endeavour for spammers."

Earlier this week Secure Computing revealed that an increasing amount of spam mail is being sent which attempts to use sensational headlines relating to the 2008 Beijing Olympic games.