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Personalized Spam Rising Sharply, Study Finds

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the no-i-don't-want-a-yearbook dept.

designperfection9 writes "A new study by Cisco Systems Inc. found an alarming increase in the amount of personalized spam, which online identity thieves create using stolen lists of e-mail addresses or other poached data about their victims, such as where they went to school or which bank they use."

13 of 142 comments (clear)

  1. Anti-spam Legislation by unlametheweak · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's a good thing there is anti-spam legislation.

    1. Re:Anti-spam Legislation by oldspewey · · Score: 5, Funny

      Your response demonstrates a ...

      [ ] clueless
      [x] sarcasm-based
      [ ] battlescarred
      [ ] well informed

      ... approach to interpreting spam stories ...

      --
      If libertarians are so opposed to effective government, why don't they all move to Somalia?
    2. Re: Anti-spam Legislation by Progman3K · · Score: 2, Funny

      Except the 'anti-spam' legislation, legitimizes spam, provides for safe harbor and prevents the endusers suing the ISPS for fowling their inboxes ..

      As if regular spam wasn't enough, now I have to worry about 'em jamming chickens into my inbox.

      --
      I don't know the meaning of the word 'don't' - J
  2. Re:30% of all Web traffic? by morgan_greywolf · · Score: 5, Funny

    Not to worry. The NSA monitors 100% of all Web and e-mail traffic! Thanks to The New AT&T: Your World, Delivered. To the NSA.

    --
    My blog
  3. Very personalized... by jshackles · · Score: 5, Funny

    How did they know I was looking for penis enlargement pills and cheap viagra?!?!

  4. Now I am going to be worried by Chrisq · · Score: 5, Funny

    Personalized Spam Rising Sharply

    Now I am going to be worried every time I get one of those adverts for penis enlargement

    ....who told them?

    1. Re:Now I am going to be worried by jollyreaper · · Score: 2, Funny

      Personalized Spam Rising Sharply

      Now I am going to be worried every time I get one of those adverts for penis enlargement ....who told them?

      Data mining. You must have ordered some of those little finger condoms people use in food service to cover up cut fingers and they just assumed it was for something other than food service. I'm still enraged that from my purchase history of metal they were able to decide Madonna's latest would be a good recommended buy for me.

      --
      Kwisatz Haderach
      Sell the spice to CHOAM
      This Mahdi took Shaddam's Throne
    2. Re:Now I am going to be worried by DevConcepts · · Score: 5, Funny

      Just got an email...
      With the success of Viagra, many new performance drugs for men go into development:

      --PROJECTRA: Men given this experimental new drug were far more likely to actually finish a household repair project before starting a new one.

      --COMPLIMENTRA: In clinical trials, 82% of middle-aged men noticed that their wives had a new hairstyle. Currently being tested to see if its effects extend to noticing new clothing.

      --BUYAGRA: Married men report a sudden urge to buy their wives gifts after taking this drug for only two days. Still to be ascertained: whether the results extend to not minding when women spend money on themselves.

      --ANTI-AGRA: Promises the exact opposite effect of Viagra. Currently undergoing clinical trials on U.S. Senators.

      --NOSPORTAGRA: This drug makes men want to turn off televised sports and actually converse with other family members.

      --FLATULAGRA: This complex drug converts men's noxious intestinal gases into air freshener.

      --FLYAGRA: This drug shows great promise in treating men with O.F.D. (Open Fly Disorder).

      --LIAGRA: This drug helps men lie more successfully when asked about their sexual affairs. Will be available in Regular, Grand Jury and Political Strength versions.

  5. Re:Suspicion runs high by morgan_greywolf · · Score: 2, Funny

    So that's why you never respond to my e-mails. You're fired!

    --
    My blog
  6. Re:What bothers me more is by oldspewey · · Score: 4, Funny

    Internet driving licenses would not prevent that 2-5% of the population that can't be taught to tie their shoes from answering unsolicited emails.

    That's why we need to get proactive. We need some kind of white hat agency that sends out trojan-riddled spam to everybody on the planet. Those who are sufficiently stupid or gullible will open and act on the spam, which will immediately reconfigure their computer: my recommendation is that it irrevocably turn their machine into a slightly more advanced equivalent of a Fisher Price Activity Center, with lots of shiny buttons and spinning graphics the users can click on but no network connectivity of any kind.

    --
    If libertarians are so opposed to effective government, why don't they all move to Somalia?
  7. Re:What bothers me more is by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    funny, my mother's maiden name was '); DROP TABLE Accounts;--

  8. Re:What bothers me more is by sootman · · Score: 4, Funny

    Are you of the Boston 438@@/arcCHKs?

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  9. Re:What bothers me more is by Opportunist · · Score: 2, Funny

    No, the ones from UnK)z5qs.

    I have no idea what the town was called before the earthquake, sorry.

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.