Following the Spam Trail

An anonymous reader writes "MSNBC's Bob Sullivan doggedly follows a spam trail from Alabama to Argentina to find out who actually benefits from spam. The beneficiaries aren't necessarily the pasty faced, high school drop out industrial spammers we have gotten to know, but well known companies."

Tea bagger

[mao che minh]

The reporter wrote this story as if he actually broke it.

MSNBC: we have known about the relationship between spam, lead generators, and legitimate businesses for years now. For example, when I filled out an add to enlarge my penis 3 years ago, I got all sorts of emails from GNC and other well known health and fitness companies.....oh wait, I mean, when I clicked on the "See Britney Nude XXX HOT Angelina J-Lo-XXX-HOT!" offer I got an ad from her record label and WareHouse Music in the mail. Yea, that's it.

FP

Huh?

[MoeMoe]

What "well known" company offers penis pumps? Has Gates been up to more no good?

but?

[chloroquine]

But what about us pasty faced social misfits? I mean, I deserve my slice of the pie as well.

This article is written for an ignorant audience. I'm an ignorant audience and its smug tone of condescension even pisses me off.

Re:Huh?

[Salgak1]

It's probably in Sweden. That's where they make the brand Austin Powers endorses. . . (g)

Who benefits from spam?

[Linux-based-robots]

The mystery is revealed. It is the The Hormel Food Company! [spam.com]

Re:Who benefits from spam?

[Gherald]

And their SPAM museum! [hormel.com]

I benifitted from spam!

[andy666]

paying attention to the spam i got, i managed to get a great morgage on a house, marry a beautiful russian bride, and i pleasure her every night with my enlarged, viagra powered penis.

now, if only i could get some printer toner...

Comment removed

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Re:From a related link.

[realdpk]

Let's officially proclaim Monday No Spam Filter day, so people can better see the problem when they're most bitter - having to show up after a fun weekend to sit around in the office and delete spam!

The obvious solution to that downside...

[kevinatilusa]

Start your own "spam" company as part of the slashdot program to end spam. Solicit e-mail addresses from willing slashdotters who provide the desired false leads. You get both the benefit of bogus leads and the windfall from all the extra false leads

MSNBC Spam article asks for email address

[Anonymous Coward]

Anyone find it funny that the article asks: "How does unsolicited commercial e-mail affect you?" and then prompts for your email address?

Re:Huh?

[AVee]

What "well known" company offers penis pumps? Has Gates been up to more no good?

Yeah, that's his other company, BigHard...

Amusing ad in the article

[swordgeek]

Don't know if the ads are static or dynamic, but the one I got, in the middle of an article about sleazy tactics and spammers, was a "CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE GREEN CARD LOTTERY!!!!!"

Heh.

Money for everybody!

[Barryo_Stereo]

The article points out how ISPs will ignore their rules when the spammers slip them a little extra cash. And then, at the head of the Slashdot list of comments, the most violently anti-Microsoft site I know has: a Microsoft ad!

I know this guy

[flux4]

Oh yeah, I know him. A real wing nut. He was odd when I met him in 2007, and I must say he's even stranger now, er, then. Who would use an Acme 5X24 anyway? Those things are so unstable... kind of like he is, really.