Posted on February 26, 2007 - by John

A New(?) way to spam people

I meant to write about this previously, sometimes, somewhat often in fact, I get these messages in my inbox from my blog contact form, requesting information on some topic, usually unrelated to what I write about on my website. These messages usually ask you for information on something that is in the media currently, and are written (or designed to look like there written) by a member of the public, with a little incentive or pressure on you the blog writer to reply to them.

My take on this, is that it is a new way to find e-mail addresses, as more and more people are using contact forms, the only way spammers have to obtain your email address, is to get you to e-mail their e-mail account, and thus collect your email address. See below example, I got today. I have changed the contact name, and some references, in case it is a genuine person (doubtful). Naturally I have not replied. Anyone else getting something similar?

T wrote:
I heard on the radio station an audio of an hysterical bride
on her wedding day. She was having a bad hair day and ended up cutting her own
hair and got even more hysterical.
Do you know this one?
Could you please direct me to the place I can view (and share with my very ill
sister) so my family and I can be sure to have one thing to laugh about today.
THANKS
T

P.S If this is a genuine person, sorry…