Contents
What is spam?
Spam is defined as the mass sending of messages without the recipient's consent, as well as the placement of malicious links on web resources. Spam can be distributed through various channels, including email, messengers, SMS, websites, forums, and social networks. The senders of such messages are commonly referred to as spammers.
Who sends spam and why?
Spam is sent by both fraudsters and legitimate companies. Many businesses, even if they operate honestly, can fall into the trap of spam by purchasing databases and sending messages without user consent. This not only violates the law but can also seriously harm the company's reputation.
Modern email services effectively filter spam by placing it in appropriate folders. This can lead to legitimate newsletters, sent with user consent, also ending up in spam filters, negatively impacting business and leading to customer loss.
Goals of spam
Spam messages pursue various goals, including:
- Advertising goods and services: such mailings are often sent by manufacturers of dubious products, such as unlicensed medicines or dietary supplements.
- Undermining competitors' reputation: some companies send spam in the name of their competitors to create customer dissatisfaction and damage their reputation.
- Fraud: malefactors may offer "free gifts" or "easy earnings," deceiving users and involving them in fraudulent schemes.
- Theft of personal data: spammers use various methods to obtain personal information, including bank details and phone numbers.
Channels of spam distribution
Spammers use many channels to distribute their messages:
- Email: the most common method, where spammers use email address databases for mass mailings.
- Social networks: spam can spread through personal messages and comments, both from hacked accounts and fake ones.
- Messengers and SMS: platforms like WhatsApp, Viber, and Telegram often become venues for spam mailings.
- Forums: spammers leave messages in discussions or send personal messages to users on forums with little moderation.
- Websites: spam can appear in comments on various resources, where senders promote their products or fraudulent schemes.
- Classifieds: on platforms like "Avito," spammers can deceive users by asking them to transfer money for a product or service.
- Search engines: spammers use deception to promote their sites that do not meet user requests.
- Mailboxes in entryways: this traditional method is still used, despite its decreasing popularity.