A few days ago I noted that this blog is under a severe spam attack series. Still true, and the spam has increased.
Please, no spam. Apologies to Hormel’s Spam.
Looking at the spam, the top spammers look really odd. For years internet pornography and sex talk sites dominated spam, but after the arrest of some top spammers in those fields, it dropped off dramatically.
Today? Here is a list of six top spammers I’ve got, hitting me with more than 100 spam posts per hour, combined:
- Quirk Volkswagen, in Manchester, New Hampsire; one of the ip addresses used is 186.95.33.219
- San Diego Aston-Martin (maybe I should be flattered?), including this ip address: 186.91.230.150
- OnlyExotic.com, including 186.93.101.107 — a seller of exotic automobiles
- Paul Cerame Kia in Florissant, Missouri, from 186.95.218.21
- getforeverrecovery.com, apparently a privately-run detoxification and rehabilitation facility, 223.30.29.210
- Keller Grover, LLP, a California law firm, including 103.12.160.21
Were I less familiar with spam, I’d think each of these organizations is near bankruptcy, and each is desperately trying to get enough traffic to keep the doors open. But after years, I’ve discovered that the most desperate generally cannot afford to waste time spamming.
I’d almost wager that these organizations and companies hired some public relations group to “place” their ads across the internet and get hits on the ads. And I’d almost wager they are unaware of what their hirelings are doing. A lot of the spam links directly to promotional videos on YouTube. Yes, it’s against YouTube policies to use spam video links.
What do you think customers of these companies would think, if they knew? Do you think they get significant business from a thousand comments on Millard Fillmore’s Bathtub?
Hey, Aston-Martin of San Diego — send me one of these including tax and title (I’ll license it here in Texas), you can spam my blog all you want for a year. Heck, I’ll even fly to San Diego at my expense to pick it up from you. But otherwise, please knock off the spam.
Keller Grover, can you tell me — pro bono, of course — whether California legal canons endorse a law firm’s spamming across the internet? Can I sue them for unauthorized product placement, or unauthorized advertising, and collect? I need to know for a friend.
Yes, I’ve protested to these people at their comments sections and by e-mail.
Update: Heh. Not 12 hours later, someone sent me this link, where Quirk VW said:
Our dealership maintains a strict “no-spam” policy. Subscribers to our e-mail services (or any other feature/service found on our Web site) will not receive unsolicited e-mail messages from us.
That’s my problem: I didn’t send them any e-mail!
Meanwhile, at Whipped Cream Difficulties, the same complaint, about some of the same spammers.
Posted by Ed Darrell 
Millard Fillmore's Bathtub 