Who's To Blame For The Epidemic of Sp*am?
All computers users - all operating systems

There's only one answer and that answer is: The reason there is so much sp*am is because of the people that buy things from spam. It's that simple. We can only hope that you are not one of those people.

Here's how sp*ammers make money in a nutshell and once you understand how it works you'll see there's never going to be an end to sp*am as long as people buy things from it.

A sp*ammer can get started for a very small investment. A spa*mmer needs a good solid knowledge on using relay servers to send mail, on how to disguise (forge) email headers, a good set of CDs containing valid email addresses and a mass-mailing program.

Sp*ammers can buy a set of CDs containing 200,000,000 or more valid email addresses from many sources on the Web. These email addresses are collected from many sources or purchased from companies who distribute spyware and adware programs. Spyware/adware programs collect data from the victim's PC and upload it to a server where it is collated and stored. Among the tidbits of information collected are email addresses harvested from emails you've sent or right from your address book. These would generally be the friends and associates of the spyware/adware victim. Email addresses can be harvested from the Web, gleaned off sites like MySpace and from blogs, Web forums, guest books, and message boards.  A set of CDs containing 200 million or more "valid" email addresses can be purchased for around $500-$600. A mass emailing program can be purchased for under $100.00. The knowledge needed to forge email headers and use anonymous email relay servers can be gotten free by browsing the Web. So with a few hundred dollars, a fast Internet connection and a couple dozen hours of research a spa*mmer can set up shop.

How the spammer makes many sheckles

Let's say you are the proud owner of a new set of CDs containing 250,000,000 valid email addresses, you have received you diploma from the school of sp*amming simply by browsing the Web and learning how to disguise (forge) email headers and are now an expert in using anonymous remailers (email servers) and you have purchased a high-powered mass mailing program. All you need now are products to sell. No problem!

On the web there are various companies who sell products through affiliates. Many of these companies, like offshore pharmacies, gambling sites, and "adult" products sites will take anyone as an affiliate. You don't even have to give them your real name. All you need is a valid PO BOX which you can rent anywhere, even thousands of miles from you home and have your mail forwarded to you home address secretly and privately.

So the sp*ammer finds a dozen or so products to sell by becoming a affiliate of various companies who never bother to check out who is affiliating with them. Now the spa*mmer is ready to open shop and start sending hundreds of millions of sp*am emails advertising his various products. These companies pay their affiliates between $20.00 and $50.00 per action. In other words any time one of the people who receive this spa*mmers email act by clicking the links in the sp*am and buying the product advertised or signing up for a service the spa*mmer makes between $20 and $50.00.

Now the spammer sends out 250,000,000 emails adverstising the new wonder drug "Pheelgood XL" (don't go looking for it, we just made it up!). The pharmacy company the sp*ammer has affiliated with has agreed to pay him $30.00 per sale. Of the 250 million emails he sends out only 1/50th of 1% of the 250 million people who received this sp*am buy the product. Uncharacteristically, we're going to make a long story short: The sp*ammer ends up with $5000.00 for a few hours work. Now if he sends a few sp*am each day advertising a different product using a different fake email address, you can see this sp*ammer is going to end up quite well off.