Do you ever get emails like this?
My best wishes to you!
I am Marina 21y.o
I am looking for man to have a strong family.
And you?
I am on-line now, let`s chat?
my profile and new photos are here.
or
You don’t need to %SI3_rnd10 rod’s %SI3_rnd11 and %SI3_rnd12 %SI3_rnd13’ jokes!
This is a %SI3_rnd14 for %SI3_rnd15 your %SI3_rnd16! It will %SI3_rnd17 in seconds after she %SI3_rnd18 and %SI3_rnd19 as good as if it was a %SI3_rnd20 rod!
No more jokes – you will always get %SI3_rnd21 and moans! The huge pack costs less than 30 %SI3_rnd22!
%SI3_rnd23 can be a %SI3_rnd24! No one will know about your %SI3_rnd25!
%SI3_rnd26 now and save more than $10 regardless of your order’s size!
As a user of email you will almost certainly encounter SPAM. And dealing with spam is a problem that has numerous solutions – but if you use Outlook, Outlook Express, Windows Mail or Thunderbird then one of the best, and by far the easiest, to use is SPAMfighter. Simply download and install. The only additional requirement is the need for an account – and in over 2yrs of use I have yet to receive any SPAM because of signing up to the service.
SPAMfighter works via a community process. When a new e-mail arrives, it is automatically tested by SPAMfighter. If it’s spam, it will be instantly moved to your SPAMfighter folder. If it isn’t detected then you click a single button and it moves the offending message from all SPAMfighter users.
SPAMfighter comes in two formats.
Free & PRO with the only obvious difference being the addition of an outgoing message tag in the free version:
There are however other benefits to purchasing a pro license, amongst others being:
- multi language support
- phone support
- option to move the SPAMfighter toolbar
A PRO license will set you back £17.
And for a lucky five (5) of you I have a totally free 1 year activation code for SPAMfighter.
All you need do is leave me an intelligent comment on this post, an example of funny spam you’ve received would work, or comment on any of my other blog posts (ensure you reference to it here) and I’ll throw all names into a hat and the first 5 out will get an activation code.
I don't usually get a lot of spam, but I have gotten a few of those Nigerian scams where a homeless widow just inherited millions of dollars and just needs your bank account in order to transfer them to you! I don't know if that's necessarily spam, but it fits into the same category in my book.
Oh, well, count me in! I haven't heard of Spamfighter before, but it sounds interesting!
Thanks.
Mike
My recent post Recording Your Computer with Total Recorder
Oh yes, the "Nigerian 419" scams are definitely spam and would be picked up by SPAMfighter.
As it stands you're in key place to get a free activation code :)
Congratulations Mike and check your email as I've sent you a a free activation code.
I receive this spam. Its different to other spam the body of the email is empty and the spam is attach to a text file. This is what the spam say in the text file attachment:
CONGRATULATION !!
We are pleased to inform you that your email address has won you an ATM MAESTRO-MASTER CARD Jackpot: $ 420,000.00 (Four Hundred and Twenty thousand United States Dollar).
And so on….
Thanks for the giveaway!
I've not seen that one before – I used to spend many a happy hour perusing my spam emails just for teh giggle. No longer do that though so probably that's a more recent one ;)
Thanks for the comment.
Congratulations and check your email as I've sent you a a free activation code.
So. Does this work using Bayesian filtering? Years ago that seemed to work best. But, there hasn't been that much discussion lately.
Even the public/free systems like yahoo & gmail seem to have it under control. Doesn't do all that much with the custom domains. You got your choice of running through Gmail, but I for one aren't that satisfied with the results or the general need to run off a web page.
So there's the heuristics (Bayesian filtering), filters (ugh), white & black lists (sometimes it is workable), and community. I wonder….
Hi David – to the best of my knowledge it uses "fingerprinting" and not Bayesian methods.
In their own words no one solution will guarantee 100% but I've found that this successfully handles most of my junk mail and very few slip through – but by adding each new email it's fingerprint is then learnt and the theory is you never see another like that.
If I wanted to be ultra paranoid I'd probably utilise gmail as my first line of defence / attack and then pop3 collect from gmail to my desktop and allow whatever filter to pick up the remainder. I'm not and find SF to be quite reliable.
I've noted however an increase in a certain type of spam in my gmail accounts that is NOT being picked up despite constant clicks on the report spam button for them.
All that is to say that so far the community approach is working best for me … at the moment. YMMV.
EDIT – meant to say, watch your email as code is on its way.
I already use the free version of SPAMfighter and would love a copy of the Pro as it does very well with my Outlook. It works better than every one I have tried.
My recent post Don’t Sink During a Big Storm of Life!
Cathy – check your email as you should have a code very shortly.
Thanks Stuart!
Mike
My recent post Monitoring Your Laptop Battery with BattCursor
My pleasure Mike – hope you find it to be of use.
Ugh I hate spam. Emails like those are why my 14 year old daughter isn't allowed to have email!
Ahh but with a decent spam fighter / security process then there is no reason why a 14yr old can't have their own eMail account.
My 10yr old daughter has her own and has for a few years now – if you'd like I could go in to my setup so you could understand how we manage that or you could just read some of my prior blog posts.
BTW – if you'd like the final code then please use my contact me form and let me have your email address.
Hi Stuart,
I just started using desktop based mail after had been using web based mail for years. One advantage I found from it is that I don't need to open nor refresh the web page anymore to see if there are any new messages come. Whilst web mail does not free from SPAM or Scam as well, this is one "funny" example I ever got:
And of course, those tons of unwanted and unneeded offers for low price of Viagra. Why would I care for them if I already have a genuine p****s as big as a gorilla has? LOL, just kidding! :D
Ah yes a much loved (!!!) variant of the Nigerian 419 scam.
It's interesting to see that the amounts "offered" seem to have lowered to more reasonable levels. When I first started seeing those they were always offering upwards of $25 Million!
And final code is on it's way to you – thanks for the comment Garth.