Why do we still get Buy Viagra and Buy Cialis Online by emails ?

[rapyreade]

Viagra is probably the best-known product to be advertised by spam emails.
Anybody has received a "Buy Viagra Online" email at some point…
but why are the spammers still sending out millions of " buy viagra " and " buy cialis "
spam emails every day?

[Fergal]

Welcome to Business Advice Forum Rapyreade.



...why are the spammers still sending out millions of " buy viagra " and " buy cialis "
spam emails every day?

For one reason and one reason only, because a small percentage of people respond to those emails by purchasing the advertised product. Hence, the spammers make some money from their activities. Obviously it is dangerous to buy pharmaceutical products from anywhere except a licensed pharmacy, but a small percentage of people do buy from spammers, because they believe they can save money.

[scifi]

Viagra is probably the best-known product to be advertised by spam emails.
Anybody has received a "Buy Viagra Online" email at some point…
but why are the spammers still sending out millions of " buy viagra " and " buy cialis "
spam emails every day?

I also get a lot of spam emails but in yahoomail not in gmail.. I think spammers might have hijack some address lists of most of the yahoo members or users..U get these types of mail on which email client???

[Nazreen]

I also get a lot of spam emails but in yahoomail not in gmail.. I think spammers might have hijack some address lists of most of the yahoo members or users..U get these types of mail on which email client???

I don't think that Yahoo is responsible for all these spam in emails Scifi. I only started getting spam in my Yahoo email when I started signing up in some of the websites that I've visited. The same thing also happened for my gmail and hotmail accounts.

The websites that I've registered with might have sold the info about my email address to these spammers.

[scifi]

I don't think that Yahoo is responsible for all these spam in emails Scifi. I only started getting spam in my Yahoo email when I started signing up in some of the websites that I've visited. The same thing also happened for my gmail and hotmail accounts.

The websites that I've registered with might have sold the info about my email address to these spammers.

It might be possibility,,then in that case it means that whatever assurance that we get in the beginning while signing up of website is not of much value....!!!

[Kay]

Viagra is probably the best-known product to be advertised by spam emails.
Anybody has received a "Buy Viagra Online" email at some point…
but why are the spammers still sending out millions of " buy viagra " and " buy cialis "
spam emails every day?

Because of the recession - everything's on a downswing. :p

Actually I don't think it's even so much the sites (although that wouldn't surprise me) as the number of bots out there that harvest your emails from your profiles on forums etc if you don't adjust your settings to hide it. It only takes a moment to do so, but is one of these things that you don't always think to do.

[Fergal]

You should never visit a link in a spam email and you should never click to download images that are not displaying in the email. It's also a bad idea to do anything to unsubscribe from a spam email. All of these things let the spammer know that your email address is real and that you have looked at the email. This rewards spammers for emailing you and makes the spam problem worse for yourself and everyone else.

Obviously it is better if you don't open these emails at all.

[Kay]

You should never visit a link in a spam email and you should never click to download images that are not displaying in the email. It's also a bad idea to do anything to unsubscribe from a spam email. All of these things let the spammer know that your email address is real and that you have looked at the email. This rewards spammers for emailing you and makes the spam problem worse for yourself and everyone else.

Obviously it is better if you don't open these emails at all.

Absolutely. I'm very conscious of security and block each and every one of them as well. In the US you can also fw the emails to The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/spam/report.html



The FTC’s spam database has served as the basis for FTC cases involving pyramid schemes, money-making chain letters, credit card scams, credit repair scams, bogus weight-loss plans, fraudulent business opportunities, and other scams that were promoted via email.

I would imagine there are similar governmental setups elsewhere in the world too. The biggest challenge with stopping spam is apathy. Few bother reporting it but the more that do, the smaller the spammer's window of opportunity.

[Fergal]

Kay, what action do the FTC take against spammers?

Have they had successes in shutting down spammers?

[scifi]

Kay, what action do the FTC take against spammers?

Have they had successes in shutting down spammers?

In addition to this I also would like to ask whether FTC can take action to spammers globally???
Recently I have heard a lot about a Nigerian group sending sending such spam mails in the name of famous companies & then cheating people..
I also got one such mail which had even broken my spam settings..
I have search a lot about then on net & luckily I was save from being cheated & ripped off.
Here is the protoype I am attaching for your reference...

Toyota Japan Lottery
Customer Service Department
Affiliate of Toyota Branch China.
28 Tanfield Road Tiaxiu lio Beijing China

PRIZE AWARD NOTIFICATION

Dear Winner

We are pleased to inform you of the announcement made today, You are among the winners of the TOYOTA CAR INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION PROGRAM Participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from 2,500,000 email addresses of individuals and companies from all part of the world as part of our electronic business Promotions Program.

As a result of your visiting various websites we are running the E-business promotions for. You/Your Company email address, attached to ticket number ,27511465896-6410, with serial number 3772-510 drew the lucky numbers 05,12,30,11,17,43 and Bonus number 10 , Your INSURANCE Number: FLS433/ 453L /GMSA and consequently you won in the Second Category of the TOYOTA FORTUNE LOTTO DRAW.

You have therefore been approved for the payment of the sum of US$800, 000, 00 in cash, which is the winning present /amount for the Second category winners. This is from the total prize money of US$12,650,000.00 shared among the international winners in the Second category.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Please be informed that your won fund of the sum of US$800,000.00 is now with the payee center. Contact our agent and give them your full names so that they will re-insure your winning fund under your full names.

To begin your claim, please contact our claim agent by sending email immediately to:-

Andy Khan
Foreign Services Manager,
Wealthgate Finance Services



1. Full Name:
2. Address:
3. Occupation:
4. Age:
5. Sex:
6. Nationality:
7. Country of Residence:
8. Telephone/Fax Number:

NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please remember to quote your reference and batch numbers and other information provided above and below in every one of your correspondences to your claiming agent.
Congratulations'' once again from all our staff and thank you for being part of our promotions program.

Best wishes

Mrs. Helen Chang
Online coordinator

[Fergal]

Thanks for sharing that with us Scifi, you just can't be too careful. I've removed the contact info from your quote, for fear that it would give the spammers some publicity.

[scifi]

Thanks for sharing that with us Scifi, you just can't be too careful. I've removed the contact info from your quote, for fear that it would give the spammers some publicity.

Fergal You have taken absolutely correct & precautious step at the right time..I have just put the quote to create awareness among all here..
I will also keep in mind next time while loading these sort of information to keep precaution from my side too!!!

[Nazreen]

Absolutely. I'm very conscious of security and block each and every one of them as well. In the US you can also fw the emails to The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/spam/report.html


You should never visit a link in a spam email and you should never click to download images that are not displaying in the email. It's also a bad idea to do anything to unsubscribe from a spam email.

Obviously it is better if you don't open these emails at all.

I never knew that you're not supposed to unsubscribe to these spam emails. I've always unsubscribed before and it seems that the number of spam emails I get keeps increasing.

But now, I always tag these as spam email and just delete them. It never even occurred to me to report these spam emails. Well, at least now I know better.

Thanks for your excellent advice Fergal and Kay.


Here is the protoype I am attaching for your reference...

I've also received a lot of these Nigerian emails. It seems that I get at least 15 spam emails from Nigeria and Africa each day.

[Kay]

Kay, what action do the FTC take against spammers?

Have they had successes in shutting down spammers?

Sorry, I missed this before. They take them to court, Fergal and yes they have indeed. They hit them where it hurts most too, in the pocket. Here's an example from earlier this year.


For Release: February 4, 2008

Judge Agrees with FTC, Orders Spammers to Pay More Than $2.5 Million and Stop Selling Bogus Weight-Loss and Anti-Aging Products

At the request of the Federal Trade Commission, a federal judge has ordered Sili Neutraceuticals, LLC and Brian McDaid to pay more than $2.5 million for making false advertising claims and sending illegal e-mail messages in violation of the FTC Act and the CAN-SPAM Act (Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act).

Full article (http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2008/02/sili.shtm)