Here’s another good one:

This-message-is-not-spam. If you file a spam complaint you will be deemed liable for all costs related to the spam complaint.

I’m not sure I’ve ever seen the words “This is not spam” in a message that wasn’t spam, or at least talking about spam. It’s kind of like “Please do not discard” on an envelope. It’s a sure sign of junk mail. I mean, if it was mail you wanted, you wouldn’t be discarding it anyway, would you?

Found this in our mail server logs:

relay=OWNED.HACKED.BITE.ME [IP removed], reject=550 5.7.1 No mail accepted from known spam hosts or exploited systems

This was a connection we rejected because the sending IP was on the Spamhaus XBL list of exploited systems. (Everything from reject on is the error message we returned.) Apparently whoever wrote the spam tool decided to advertise that fact when sending mail.

The disclaimers spammers add to their missives are sometimes bizarre, ranging from excuses to nonsensical “word salad” to, in this example found in today’s spamtrap haul, legal threats.

WARNING: ANYONE REPORTING ALLEGED SPAM TO ANY PERSON OR PERSONS, WITH OUT PHYSICAL PROOF OF SUCH A CLAIM IS GUILTY OF BOTH FRAUD & A CIVIL CRIME AND WILL BE PURSUED AND PROSECUTED TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW. FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE READ:
http://www.ncsl.org/programs/lis/legislation/spamlaws02.htm

Physical proof? Of something which exists entirely in the virtual realm of bits and bytes? Do you have to submit your hard drive as evidence, or is a paper print-out sufficient? Continue reading