| Why So Much Spam?! (It's Our Fault?) |
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Why did those unrelenting, tenacious sales-drones call? Because it worked. And why did it work? Because we allowed it. It was our fault! Nature abhors a vacuum. And equally, where there are weak wills or unsuspecting innocents, there will be someone to take advantage of them. So consider this article a bit self-defense training, of sorts, for the everyday computer user against email exploits. The Internet came along, and its well-meaning delivery of useful features (like email) were followed closely behind by those eager to exploit them. Hackers, crackers, black hats, email spoofs & hoaxes, spammers, phishers, pharmers - a whole slew of new descriptives rapidly emerged to label these perpetrators. Because the Internet was new, it came with an almost Zen-like innocence for the So while generally speaking you can't teach an old dog new tricks, the Internet gave predators a new way in, a new venue with which to ply their trade. But to be sure, it's just the same old stuff in a new package. There are no news tricks, just new packaging. So be smart, pay attention. If an email doesn't "look right," its not. Delete it. If it really was that important, it'll get sent again - or you'll get called, or FedEx will show up, or... Remember, if it sounds too good to be true... IT IS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE. The Internet is untrustworthy! A good technologist can fake almost ANYTHING on the Internet. They could send you an impressive looking email alleging to be from the IRS requesting you to "verify information" about your tax return. Then have you follow a link to a fake IRS web-site. If they've taken enough time to recreate the original, the victim could be easily "duped" into giving up social security numbers, bank account info, Some like to blame the Internet itself. They cite that its technology is weak and insecure, easily taken advantage of and exploited for dark purposes. All than can be said is a big "yep it's true!" Internet protocols were designed for functionality and reliability. Security was further down on the original design list. That's all changing now, but new, secure protocols are slow to emerge, develop and deploy. In the mean time, DO NOT EVER RESPOND TO SPAM. It just encourages more. Like telemarketing, spam is a numbers game. While response percentages are very low, it just takes a few "buyers" (I prefer "dimwits") to keep it profitable, and thus keep the spam machine churning. So like I used to tell my wife: "When the telemarketers call... Just HANG UP!" When the spam shows up... "Just DELETE IT!" If your Internet service provider does a poor job of filtering spam, then use something else for email, like Gmail, Yahoo! or several others. These guys do a very decent job of filtering spam as part of their free email service. Finally, never, NEVER, Ever, ever, EVER give money, information or anything in response to an unsolicited email. If we ignore them long enough, the spammers will go do something else.
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It wasn't that long ago, when telemarketers ruled our quiet evenings at home. During meals, movies or whatever we were doing, it never failed - the phone would ring. "Sir, we have an incredible offer for you..." and so the story would go, driven by legions of well-trained, commission driven "associates" trying to fill our homes and credit card statements with regrettable, useless stuff. 
etc., etc.
