Spam Junk Email - Evict the Spammers from Your Inbox

Spam Junk Email - Evict the Spammers from Your Inbox
by: Paul Judge, CTO, CipherTrust, Inc.
Block Spam and Other Email Threats From Entering Your Gateway
Spam, commonly defined as unsolicited commercial email, is a powerful advertising channel for many products and services. As a result, spamming has become a profitable business, driven by the low cost of sending email compared to other direct marketing techniques. The high return on investment for spammers has resulted in an overwhelming volume of unwanted messages in personal and business email boxes. Consider this: Conducting a direct mail campaign costs an average of $1.39 per person, meaning that a response rate of 1 in 14 is necessary just to break even on a product with a $20 gross profit. Selling the same item via unsolicited spam email costs only $0.0004 per person, meaning that a response rate of 1 in 50,000 gets the seller back to break-even; anything above that is gravy. With profit margins like these, it’s easy to see why spammers will try anything to get past anti spam technology to deliver their messages to your inbox.

Types of Spam Threats
The recent onset of fraudulent spam variants such as phishing and spoofing pose an even greater risk than the spam volume clogging email servers. Spammers use techniques such as phishing and spoofing to fool users into opening messages that, at first glance, appear innocuous.

Phishing
Phishing is a specific type of spam message that solicits personal information from the recipient. Phishers use social engineering techniques to fool end users into believing that the message originated from a trusted sender, making these attacks especially dangerous because they often con victims into divulging social security numbers, bank account information or credit card numbers. In one six-month period from November 2003 to May 2004, phishing attacks increased in frequency by 4000%, and the trend continues upward.

An example of phishing is an email that appears to come from a bank requesting that users log into their account to update or correct personal information. When the users follow a link embedded in the email, they are redirected to a site that looks and behaves like the expected bank website. However, unbeknownst to the soon-to-be identity theft victims, the site is actually controlled by the scam artists who sent the email; any and all information entered by the victim can now be used in a variety of ways, none of them good.

Spoofing
Spoofing is a deceptive form of spam that hides the domain of the spammer or the spam’s origination point. Spammers often hijack the domains of well-known businesses or government entities to make spam filters think the communication is coming from a legitimate source.

Today’s spammers are more crafty than ever before and have begun blending elements of both phishing and spoofing into their messages, further spinning their web of deception. The toxic combination of spoofing and phishing presents a major threat that can trick most anyone into providing personal information to a stranger.

Toothless Legislation
On January 1, 2004, President Bush signed into law the “Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act of 2003,” or “CAN-SPAM” Act. While well intentioned, CAN-SPAM has done little or nothing to curb the flow of unwanted email. In fact, an estimated 97% of all spam email sent in 2004 violated the Act, and the United States still dwarfs other nations in terms of the origin of spam, with CipherTrust research revealing that an astonishing 56.77% of all spam comes from U.S.-based IP addresses. While CAN-SPAM was designed to decrease the overall volume of spam, the exact opposite has happened: in 2004, spam accounted for approximately 77% of all email traffic, and phishing attacks continue to increase exponentially, with studies showing an increase of 4000% from November 2003 to May 2004.

Anti Spam Software for the Desktop
The dramatic increase in spam volume has prompted a corresponding surge in stand-alone anti spam software solutions for the desktop, all with varying levels of effectiveness. Some anti spam software uses text filtering to screen incoming messages for known characteristics of spam, while other solutions rely solely on reputation systems that monitor and categorize email senders by IP address according to their sending behavior. Still other anti spam software uses “challenge/response filters” to block unapproved mail until the sender responds (manually) to a challenge email sent to their email account to verify his or her identity.

With so many different methods of filtering spam, no single software-based desktop anti spam solution is capable of effectively stopping spam before it reaches the inbox. The only way to successfully fight spam is to create an anti spam “cocktail” including reputation services, text filters, constant updates and a host of other best-of-breed spam blocking methods. Just as importantly, an effective anti spam solution should reside at the email gateway, not at the desktop. Without protection at the gateway, mail servers waste massive amounts of bandwidth and storage space processing every message, wanted or not, and end users face the unenviable task of deciding what to do with the countless spam messages that successfully reach them.

Take a Consolidated Approach to Anti Spam
Although it takes a person only a moment to process a message and identify it as spam, it is difficult to automate that human process because no single message characteristic consistently identifies spam. In fact, there are hundreds of different message characteristics that may indicate an email is spam, and an effective anti spam solution must be capable of employing multiple spam detection techniques.

In addition to effectively identifying spam, businesses must be assured that legitimate mail is not blocked in error. Even one false positive, or incorrectly blocked email, can have a significant impact on businesses today. Accurate spam blocking requires a combination of tools to examine various message criteria combined with real-time research and intelligence data.

By aggregating multiple spam detection technologies like text filtering, reputation services, traffic analysis and other best-of-breed techniques, and placing the solution at the email gateway in a hardened appliance, enterprises can retake control of the inbox.



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About the author:

Dr. Paul Judge is a noted scholar and entrepreneur. He is Chief Technology Officer at CipherTrust, the industry's largest provider of enterprise email security. The company’s flagship product, IronMail provides a best of breed enterprise anti spam solution designed to stop spam, phishing attacks and other email-based threats. Learn more by visiting www.ciphertrust.com/products/spam_and_fraud_protection today.

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spam junk email - Sweepstakes

spam junk email - Sweepstakes

Attn: Lucky winner

We are pleased to inform you that your e-mail address has won the UK
Sweepstakes International Program. Therefore you have been approved for a
lump sum payout (£1,000,000.00 GBP) One Million Pounds in the Uk
Sweepstakes International Program held on 5th of January 2008, and
released today 14th January 2008. Your e-mail ID emerged a sone of the
winners in the 1st category.

To fill the form below and send it to this contact

Name: Dr. Michael Hills
Email: michaelhills_claimsoffice@yahoo.co.uk
Phone: +44 701113 1167

1.Full Name:
2.Full Address:
3.Status:
4.Occupation:
5.Age:
6.Sex:
7.Country:
8.Tel.Number:

Yours faithfully,
Mrs. Caroline Bryan.

spam junk email - UK National Lottery

spam junk email - UK National Lottery

Ref No: UK/9420X2/68
Batch Number: 074/05/ZY369
14/01/ 2008.

Dear Email Owner,

We are happy to announce to you that your email address has won you the
sum of £750,000.00 GBP (seven Hundred and fifty Thousand GBP) in the
NEW YEAR online draw of the UK National Lottery.

To File for your claims, contact:

Mr. Gray Moore.
Email:graymoore_ukon@hotmail.com

You are to provide him With the following information:

Full Name,
Contact Address,
Country of residence,
Age,
Sex,
Tel,
Occupation.
Mode of claims.(Courier delivery or Banl Transfer)

Congratulations once more from all members and staff of this program.

Yours Truly,
Sir Howard Wright,
Online Coordinator For The UKNL Foundation.

spam junk email - Yahoo MSN

spam junk email - Yahoo MSN

Dear Winner,

The prestigious Yahoo and MSN has set out and
successfully organised a Sweepstakes marking
the annual new year anniversary, Participants
for the draws were randomly selected and drawn
from a wide range of web hosts which we enjoy
their patronage.

The selection was made through a computer
draw system attaching personalised email
addresses to ticket numbers, Your email
address as indicated was drawn and attached to
Lotto Code Number: TL09622UK with Winning
Serial Number: 900-102-447 and drew the File
Ref Number: ICA/11-GIS/2006UK
which subsequently won you £500,000.00 GBP.
The draws registered as Draw number one was
conducted in Har Road Sutton, London United
Kingdom. Please be informed by this winning
notification to file for your claim by Contacting
Head Of Winning Claims Dept with the
informations as stated below.

(CONTACT CLAIMS OFFICER)
Name: Mr. Clinton Moore
Email:
clintonmoore.claimsofficerdept3@yahoo.es
Tel: +44 70457 61647

You are requested to provide accurate
information to the below stated requirement.

1. Full Name: .....................
2. Address:........................
3. Sex.............................
4. Age:............................
5. Occupation :.....................
6. Phone:..........................
7. Country:........................

Yours faithfully,
Mrs. Lillian Hunt
(Yahoo/Msn Lottery Coordinator).

spam junk email - e-lottery

spam junk email - e-lottery

THE E-LOTTERY COMPANY.
7 West End Avenue, Gatley,
Cheadle, Cheshire, SK8 4DR, UK.
Draw Date:16-1-2008.

WINNING NOTIFICATION:

We happily announce to you the Draw (06/1099) of the E-Lottery online
email promotion program held on 16th January,2008. All 10 winning e-mail
addresses were randomly selected from a batch of 50,000,000 international
emails.Your emails address emerged alongside 9 others as a category 2
winner in this year's Annual E-Lottery Draw. Consequently, you have
therefore been approved for a total pay out of £546,480.00 (Five Hundred
And Forty-Six Thousand, Four Hundred & Eighty British Pounds Sterling
only). The following particulars are attached to your lotto payment order:
(i) Winning Numbers: 05 18 26 34 42 49 BB 08 (ii) Email ticket number;
FL754/22/76 (iii) Lotto Code Number: FL09622UK (iv) Ref Number:
L/07/736207147/UK

Above all, you are required to fill out the Claims Verification form
below and send it to the Fiduciary Agent
1.Name............................2.Address.........................
3.Age...............................4.Sex...............................
5.Occupation....................6.Country Of Resident.......
7.Nationality......................8.Tel/Fax...........................
Please contact the Fiduciary Agent as soon as possible for the
immediate release of your winnings:
FIDUCIARY AGENT: Mr Teddy Smith
TEL: +447979391755
Fax:+447006032159
EMAIL: teddy-smith1@ecompanypromoboard.co.uk
N.B: Winnings not acknowledged and claimed within one week of

notification will be void.

Regards,
Mary Smith
Promotion Manager,
The E-Lottery Company.
UK & Europe.

spam junk email - Microsoft

spam junk email - Microsoft

You have won the sum of Seven Hundred And Ninety
One Thousand,Two Hundred And Fifty Two Great Britain Pounds,
from the just conlcuded award charity winners with MICROSOFT.

To file your claims contact:
Prof Greg Walter
Email:gregwalter@live.com

You are to provide him with:
Full NameS:Address:Marital Status:
Occupation:Age: Sex: Nationality:
Country Of Residence: Telephone Number:
Fax Number:Email Address:

Sincerely,
Dr.Olivia Holland
Head Customercare Service
Microsoft Promotion Team.



gregwalter@live.com
Compose Email

Add to Contacts

spam junk email - ATM Master Credit Card

spam junk email - ATM Master Credit Card

FROM THE DESK OF REV.JOHN IKENNA
DIRECTOR,INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE
FOREIGN OPERATIONS DEPT,
OCEANIC BANK OF NIGERIA PLC,
LAGOS-NIGERIA.
Phone: +234-8088442687

Notification of payment by ATM Master Credit Card

Attn:Beneficiary,

We hereby officially notifying you about the present arrangement to pay you, your over due contract/inheritance fund through (Master Express Credit Card) This arrangement was initiated/constituted by the World Bank and Paris Club, due to fruadelent activities going on within the African Region.

The World Bank and Paris Club introduced this payment arrangement as to enable our contractors/inheritance beneficiary to receive their fund without any interfference. the Master Express Credit Card was contracted and powered by GOLD CARD WORLD WIDE.

To this end, you are required to forward your payment informations as follows to enable us load your fund into the card with your information and deliver it to your door step. as the BANKERS COURIER SERVICES are incharge of the delivery services to your destination.

1)YOUR FULL NAME
2)YOUR RECEIVING ADDRESS.
3)YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER
4)YOUR PROFESSION

Upon the receipt of this mail we are going to load your fund into the Master Express Credit Card and send a scan copy of the card to you before we will proceed to despatch the card through BANKER COURIER SERVICES to you. You are only going to take care of the delivery charge.

We awaiting for your immediate response.

Email To Contact oceanicbankingplc908@gmail.com

CONGRATULATIONS IN ADVANCE.

BEST REGARDS,
REV.JOHN IKENNA
DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE
FOREIGN OPERATIONS DEPT,
OCEANIC BANK OF NIGERIA PLC,
LAGOS-NIGERIA.

CC: ALL FOREIGN INHERITTANCE FUNDS
CC:CENTRAL BANK GOVERNOR
CC: BOARD OF DIRECTORS [FPD]
CC: ACCOUNTANT GENERAL OF NIGERIA

spam junk email - coca cola

spam junk email - coca cola

Dear Lucky Winner,

The prestigious Coca-Cola Plc has set out and successfully organised a
Sweepstakes of 100,000.000.00 (One Hundred Million Great Britain
Pounds).

Your email address as indicated was drawn and attached ticket number
(7PWYZ2006) and ballot number(BT:12052006/20) and drew the lucky
numbers 29,031,643 which subsequently won you £1,000,000.00 (One
Million
Great Britain Pounds) For Claiming of your prize.

Please contact Mr. Bradd Cooker {Your Fiduciary Agent}.

1.Full Names :
2.Residential Address :
3.Phone Number :Mobile&Home
4.Fax Number :
5.Occupation :
6.Sex :
7.Age :
8.Nationality :
9.Ballot No. :
10.Ticket No.:

Mr. Bradd Cooker
Head Winning Claims Dept.
Email:info_promoclaims@yahoo.de
Tel:+447011131264
Tel:+447031898729
Tel:+447024070345

spam junk email - lottery promotion

spam junk email - lottery promotion, sound familiar? This is the mail I receive before;

UK NATIONAL LOTTERY HEAD OFFICE
P.O. BOX 1764
VICTORIA SW1V 4DP
LONDON, ENGLAND.

CONGRATULATION



ATTENTION : Winner,



We are pleased to inform you of the result of the Lottery Winners
International programs held on sat 19th of january 2008.
Your E-mail Address was attached to a ticket number 56475600545188
with serial number 5368/02 drew the lucky numbers.


Your email has won a total Cash Prize You have therefore been
Approved to claim a total sum of £500,000(five Hundred thousand Pounds
Sterling) in cash credited to file KTU/9023118308/03
and a consolation prize of Dell pentium 4 laptop,
T-shirt and face cap. please contact our fiduciary agent claims office on,

Mr. David Choa.
Fiduciary Agent.


Email; agent_uklotteryheadoffice@yahoo.co.uk
TEL; +447 045 772 248


DETAILS OF BENEFICIARY VERIFICATIONS FORM


Full Name:............................
Full Address:.........................
Nationality:..........................
Occupation:...........................
Age:..................................
Sex:..................................
Marital status:.......................
Reference numbers:....................
Ticket number:........................
Amount won:...........................
Email address:........................
Phone number(land/mobile):............
Attached Passport.........................


Remember that this program is organised to enhance unity and also
encourage all micro-soft users all over the world.


Congratulations once again from all members of our staff, and thank
you for being part of our promotions program.




MISS ROSE WOOD
CO-ORDINATOR
EUROPEAN PRIZE AWARD



UK & Europe E-Lottery 2008 New Year Email Promotion

LONDON, ENGLAND
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Don't believe this spam junk email