29 ms·

Ask HN: Why 85% of Spam is about medications?

I found that 85% of SPAM in mailbox is about drugs I have never heard of. Most of the times it is Viagra or its variants and rest of the times unpronounceable words like Zepidne. I am wondering if this is SPAM for the sake of SPAM or really a marketing strategy of the manufacturers (genuine of fraudsters). Or is there something more profound beyond my understanding?

jacquesm 17y ago
That's 'phase 1', 'phase 2' will be about great financial offers by people in warm countries, then you will be offered debt restructuring (phase 3) and finally when all this has failed you will send a random mixture of the above ad infinitum on the off chance that one day you will come to your senses and you will finally succumb to these great offers. What bothers me more than receiving spam is that they keep sending the same spam over and over again. If by any chance you've set your email client to display images in email attachements you may be tipping off the spammers that you actually receive their email.
- digamber_kamat 17y ago
  "If by any chance you've set your email client to display images in email attachements you may be tipping off the spammers that you actually receive their email." Thanks for that tip
gills 17y ago
It's about using the right bait for the fish. The promise of an effortless long/easy/healthy life is pretty solid bait for humans.
onreact-com 17y ago
Sad but true it's a real life business model that works. People really click on those links and buy the advertised mediations. Sometimes only a few per thousand but if you send a million of emails... Most of these life style drugs are not real medications like the stuff sick people need. Also most of them are cheap generics or even counterfeit or fake drugs. These might be even dangerous. That's the reason the only channel you can sell them is outside the proven medical sector.
- taw 17y ago
  According to our best estimates spam success rates are more like 1 in 12.5 million than 1 in a few thousand.

jacquesm 17y ago

That's 'phase 1', 'phase 2' will be about great financial offers by people in warm countries, then you will be offered debt restructuring (phase 3) and finally when all this has failed you will send a random mixture of the above ad infinitum on the off chance that one day you will come to your senses and you will finally succumb to these great offers. What bothers me more than receiving spam is that they keep sending the same spam over and over again. If by any chance you've set your email client to display images in email attachements you may be tipping off the spammers that you actually receive their email.

digamber_kamat 17y ago
"If by any chance you've set your email client to display images in email attachements you may be tipping off the spammers that you actually receive their email." Thanks for that tip

gills 17y ago

It's about using the right bait for the fish. The promise of an effortless long/easy/healthy life is pretty solid bait for humans.

onreact-com 17y ago

Sad but true it's a real life business model that works. People really click on those links and buy the advertised mediations. Sometimes only a few per thousand but if you send a million of emails... Most of these life style drugs are not real medications like the stuff sick people need. Also most of them are cheap generics or even counterfeit or fake drugs. These might be even dangerous. That's the reason the only channel you can sell them is outside the proven medical sector.

taw 17y ago
According to our best estimates spam success rates are more like 1 in 12.5 million than 1 in a few thousand.