Click Here if You Want a Free iPod!

A leading spammer gets busted for fraudulent subject lines

Video iPod: Photo by Apple
The Federal Communications Commission busted an online advertiser that used misleading subject lines in its spam, leading consumers to believe they were eligible for free products. The company, Member Source Media, settled with the FCC for $200,000 and other penalties. But it’s kind of a wonder that they were successful at all.

Apparently people really do fall for the old “Congratulations. You’ve won an iPod Video Player” trick. In this case, folks would click through messages with variations on that general here’s-your-free stuff theme, and eventually even sign up for credit cards or subscribe for satellite TV service just to get their free gadget. It’s hard to say what’s more troubling, the fact that people are running these scams, or that so many others are still falling for them.

3 Comments

Comments

Menendel
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It's hard to imagine actually falling for a scam like this. It seems to me that in today's society people would know that something for nothing doesn't exist.

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jonmacknight
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I dont know, that how i got my IPOD touch. I spent 50$ getting it. Most of that was paying for products to be shipped to my house, and testing them. it took about 20 man hours.(not all at once), but it all paid off, and i got my new ipod touch.

"We can only hope one day the world will unite under one science. A world where real world truths are'nt hidden by ancient laws is the only place science can save us all."

-Jon MacKnight

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dontbother
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lol, "something for nothing doesn't exist"?
I'm not surprised that people do expect to get free stuff on the internet, especially in "today's society".
I can't help but notice the irony of you posting that comment, for free, on a free website for a science magazine, which has just provided you free news.
Then go look at wikipedia. It's not even ad-supported, and as far as I know it's the single most helpful database on the internet. So yes, people do get "free" stuff on the internet.

It seems to me that the important distinction here is between information and actual physical objects. These companies obviously won't send you merchandise if there isn't anything in it for them, and people probably realize that, but greed is, after all, a strong motivator...

1 out of 1 people found this comment helpful

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