Explain the spammer mind to me...

[John Andersen <js...@pen.homeip.net>]

Why the sudden increase in "offices closed", "boss sent home"
"supervisor fired" etc spam"

Where do these guys all get on the same kick at the same time?
Or is it really ONE spammer who just got fired?

Do they hold meetings about what topics to use next month
or what?  
-- 
_____________________________________
John Andersen

Re: Explain the spammer mind to me...

[Nigel Frankcom <ni...@blue-canoe.net>]

On Thu, 26 Oct 2006 02:25:37 -0700, "Loren Wilton"
<lw...@earthlink.net> wrote:

>> Where do these guys all get on the same kick at the same time?
>> Or is it really ONE spammer who just got fired?
>>
>> Do they hold meetings about what topics to use next month
>> or what?
>
>I'd lay odds that it is either one spammer, or more likely one spam program.
>
>Back in the days of 900 porn phone numbers, there were companies selling get 
>rich quick schemes to suckers.  Someone ran a 900# service that gave out 
<snip>

To clarify - I meant insane bovines, not any list members... well, I
hope not any list members... :-D

Nigel

Re: Explain the spammer mind to me...

[Nigel Frankcom <ni...@blue-canoe.net>]

On Thu, 26 Oct 2006 02:25:37 -0700, "Loren Wilton"
<lw...@earthlink.net> wrote:

>> Where do these guys all get on the same kick at the same time?
>> Or is it really ONE spammer who just got fired?
>>
>> Do they hold meetings about what topics to use next month
>> or what?
>
>I'd lay odds that it is either one spammer, or more likely one spam program.
>
>Back in the days of 900 porn phone numbers, there were companies selling get 
>rich quick schemes to suckers.  Someone ran a 900# service that gave out 
>astrology predictions and other such nonsense.  Suckers could sign up to run 
>their own 900# service and get 50% of the profits from the number.  All they 
>had to do was advertize in the "right places" so that they would get "lots 
>of business".  The main company scamming these dudes would even provide 
>recommendations for advertizing companies.
>
>What really happened is that there was one 900# on a rotary and a bunch of 
>extensions.  YOu were told to place an ad for whatever the service was, and 
>give the 900# and extension number.  If that extension got called, you got a 
>dime or whatever.  They would place ads in newspapers if you paid.  If you 
>looked at the proof for the entire page (not just your ad) you saw about 75 
>virtually identical ads, each with the same phone number and a different 
>extension number.  Needless to say the suckers placing the ads didn't get 
>any calls.
>
>I think the modern equivalent of this is that there is a spammer service 
>that will send spams out for you, all you have to do is pay them.  They will 
>even probably provide the drop sites that are advertized in the spam.  If 
>someone goes to the right site, the baby spammer gets a penny or dime or 
>whatever.  You probably sign up for this wonderful scheme with a web form 
>someplace, where all you have to do is enter your cc number to pay them for 
>a spam run with your code on it, and possibly the advertizing hook (the 
>subject line) of your choice.  As a matter of convenience, they probably 
>provide about 25 "different" subject lines to choose from.  (Just like the 
>900# people provided about 25 "different" but identical ads).
>
>It may be that nobody is ever stupid enough to look into the spam, so none 
>of the baby spammers ever get a single dime.  But the master spammer 
>probably got $100 or $2000 or some such from each baby spammer that thought 
>they were going to get rich quick.
>
>        Loren

...or maybe they just have the one brain. The one they borrow from the
mad cow when it's having a day off? ;-)

Re: Explain the spammer mind to me...

[Loren Wilton <lw...@earthlink.net>]

> Where do these guys all get on the same kick at the same time?
> Or is it really ONE spammer who just got fired?
>
> Do they hold meetings about what topics to use next month
> or what?

I'd lay odds that it is either one spammer, or more likely one spam program.

Back in the days of 900 porn phone numbers, there were companies selling get 
rich quick schemes to suckers.  Someone ran a 900# service that gave out 
astrology predictions and other such nonsense.  Suckers could sign up to run 
their own 900# service and get 50% of the profits from the number.  All they 
had to do was advertize in the "right places" so that they would get "lots 
of business".  The main company scamming these dudes would even provide 
recommendations for advertizing companies.

What really happened is that there was one 900# on a rotary and a bunch of 
extensions.  YOu were told to place an ad for whatever the service was, and 
give the 900# and extension number.  If that extension got called, you got a 
dime or whatever.  They would place ads in newspapers if you paid.  If you 
looked at the proof for the entire page (not just your ad) you saw about 75 
virtually identical ads, each with the same phone number and a different 
extension number.  Needless to say the suckers placing the ads didn't get 
any calls.

I think the modern equivalent of this is that there is a spammer service 
that will send spams out for you, all you have to do is pay them.  They will 
even probably provide the drop sites that are advertized in the spam.  If 
someone goes to the right site, the baby spammer gets a penny or dime or 
whatever.  You probably sign up for this wonderful scheme with a web form 
someplace, where all you have to do is enter your cc number to pay them for 
a spam run with your code on it, and possibly the advertizing hook (the 
subject line) of your choice.  As a matter of convenience, they probably 
provide about 25 "different" subject lines to choose from.  (Just like the 
900# people provided about 25 "different" but identical ads).

It may be that nobody is ever stupid enough to look into the spam, so none 
of the baby spammers ever get a single dime.  But the master spammer 
probably got $100 or $2000 or some such from each baby spammer that thought 
they were going to get rich quick.

        Loren