Spam and the FTC ...Oh the E-manity
I have a customer doing bulk email. He's pretty careful as such customers go - but he really believes he is not sending spam. After all, his information is useful and helpful - not like that other junk mail. Anyway, every so often I remind him of the requirements of federal law and point him to one of many articles and sites out there regarding the CANN-SPAM act and it's requirements. Today, I was working on putting together some helpful links and I stumbled on this helpful FTC link regarding spam. The purpose of the page is to encourage users to send reports of abuse to the FTC. What I found enlightening and delicious was the link at the bottom of the page to "send a free e-card".
Among the email I hate to receive this one ranks 3 or 4, right after the ones for "Enlarge your Penis" and "Make your woman scream with pleasure" (which should really suggest that you paint the garage or break the remote control) and that idiot Nigerian oil ministers son who is apparently still languishing in poverty with his 100 million just out of reach. It's been like 10 years and he's still looking for a helpful American. He should just go out and find a job.
Anyway, the e-card is right up there. I hate opening a web page and having it shout at me in a ringtoney cacophony of mediocre musical sendup to the beatles or rolling stones. Yikes - just stick an ice pick in my eye and be done with it! It just goes to show that the FTC really only wants to stop spammers who send out millions of messages to make room for your relatives who forgot your birthday or are too cheap to buy a real card. Oh... and thanks Mom :)
3 Comments
-
I just checked it out, and the ecard is actually meant to educate people about phishing. So I think its actually a good way to do it, since most people who send and like ecards are the same people who would get tricked by a phishing email. -
Pete - ok, ok, so it's a good thing. Don't rain on my parade when I'm in a light hearted mood (ha). Anyway, at least I agree with you about the phishing pholks who phoolishly phind ways to phoul their accounts and get their pheelings hurt :)
Sites to Watch
Aggregators
RSS
