Did you realize you are under attack? Yeah, that’s right! You are being targeted by certain companies and/or individuals known as “spammers” that are flooding the internet with junk email called “spam”. These unwanted emails are a form of advertising referred to as “viral marketing” which also includes “pop up ads” that often promote bogus products and services to unsuspecting people and newsgroups while on the internet. These spammers are sending the same messages over and over trying to force or coerce you to buy a product or purchase a service that you wouldn’t buy under normal circumstances. And guess who’s paying them to constantly harass you with this bothersome email—YOU!
An article I’m reviewing called “What is spam?” by J.D. Faulk comes from spam.abuse.net, an anti-spam website that has been actively fighting this annoying marketing tool since 1996 to keep the internet useful to everyone. Scott Hazen Mueller, also joins Mr.Faulk in leading this revolution against spam, he has written multiple articles and books on how to fight against the many different types of this nuisance.
There are many types of spam, but the two most popular are Usenet spam and email spam. Usenet spam targets readers’ of newsgroups called “lurkers”. Usenet spam compromises the power of system administrators to manage their networks. If a network is constantly cluttered with junk-mail, this means low productivity at the workplace. System administrators run into major complications keeping their networks clear of unsolicited, unwanted email. Spending thousands of dollars and countless man-hours for spam filters devices and software to keep spam to a minimum. Administrators also have to be aware of virus and Trojans attacks through spam, which could run a company up in the millions.
The other major type of spam is email spam which targets personal email addresses. These addresses are often stolen from Usenet listings and the individuals on these lists are bombarded with thousands upon thousands of “spam email”. Most spammers go so far as using automated tools to launch their attacks. This specially design software and /or hardware that will automatically at random times send junk mail to a specific group or groups of people over and over.
Pro spammers support and will argue that opportunities to sell products and services are abundant through this type of marketing. In an article by Mike Grunch “The Benefits of Spam” he uses an Ad populum argument, which means his argument aimed at appealing to the supposed prejudices and emotions of the masses. Everyone wants to make a lot of money with little effort, but what Mike Grunch fails to show is proof of how much he made, how little effort he put into it though he claims “it’s a no-brainer” and also what he is selling! Perhaps he is oversimplifying his business. It feels almost too good to be true. He suggest the old Non-Sequitur fallacy that if I can make a million with no effort, and you can too. The problem with this idea of if it works for me it’ll work for you is that once these scams are uncovered the marketplace becomes the enemy.
Though Mike Grunch may be a legitimate businessman who has capitalized on the marketing “tool” known as spam, most internet users find this “junk mail” to be just as annoying if not more than the junk we receive in our “snail mail” mailboxes. Yet in his own article, he mentions the use of this marketing tool by unscrupulous individuals to hijack information from you. Knowing that spam is intended to either sell you products or steal your information, wouldn’t you feel safer protecting yourself from this type of “advertising?”
So to fight spam, put on your full armor and get ready for battle. This is an issue we all have to deal at some time or another. If you enjoy the surfing the internet like I do or even if it’s a part of your everyday job, we’re up against a growing enemy out there and his name is “SPAM”. He’s trying to contaminate your system with viruses, bugs, and trojans or steal your personal information, or trying to get you to purchase something that doesn’t exist, so keep your eyes and ears open the Spam monster is on the prowl!
