Not Currently Updated
I started documenting stock spam in October 2005, but in November 2005, the quantity of stock spam became so large that I put it on hold. In mid-May 2006 I decided to take it up again on a trial basis, limiting reports to one per day per stock, but I gave up again in mid-June 2006 as the workload was still excessive relative to the importance of the issue. Others continued to do a fine job of it -- see the links at left -- but according to
statistics from spamnation, the problem peaked in 2007 and dropped off abruptly in 2008, becoming a mere trickle in 2009/10. I'm leaving this blog online as a historical reference, but I have no further plans to update it, and I've disabled comments because nobody has tried to post anything but spam comments here in a long time.
3 comments:
I'm curious as to why you're only listing out the contents of these spams without any other info whatsoever.
My assumption is that the spammers seed google with "bombed" results for the stock tickers so that all anyone will get when they search for the stock symbol are press releases which essentially back up what the spam said. Which in turn convinces poor suckers (sorry: "entrepreneurial investors") to drop their hard earned cash on these loser stocks.
I for one would be happy to say that not one of these companies has proven to have any real product, and in fact most of the stocks being spammed are not legitimate companies. They have no centre of operations and they only exist to "go public" and fuel these spam runs.
The SEC is well aware of this fraudulent activity. I hope you are pointing them to this website.
I'm not saying your posts shouldn't exist but... there's nothing being said that is critical of these spam attempts like "don't buy these stocks" (there, now it's been said here. :) )
Just wondered what the expected result would be from posting what spammers have already sent to millions of people?
I also noticed that you are sorely missing FCYI and (at least from my cursory glance) CTXE, both of which have been spammed mercilessly all month long.
Stock spammers are criminals. Purchasing these stocks means you are effectively handing over whatever sums you "invest" directly to an internationally fraudulent criminal. Nobody in their right mind should ever purchase a penny stock which has been recommended by an anonymous spam message. Especially any stock where you can't discover any information aside from its alleged stock which is "about to explode!!!11!"
Spammers are idiots.
SiL
Oh I take it back. :) I just found your numerous listings for both FCYI and CTXE. My apologies.
But my first question still stands.
Thanxs again.
SiL
The primary purpose is to inform those who take the time to check that the spam they have received is, in fact, spam, and not misdirected investment advice. There is a panel on the left side of this blog which explains that any email received which resembles anything posted here is likely to be a part of a "pump and dump" campaign. If you can't see that panel, you're probably using Internet Explorer, which often fails to render it for some inexplicable reason. It always looks fine in Firefox.
Of all the spam-frauds out there, stock spam concerns me the least. I only continue to report it on a "minimum effort" basis. Although I value the opportunity to defend other people from scams, I can't dedicate my whole life to it.
Post a Comment