Is a spam era over?

I don't get any more of those African Emails....

[wingslevel]

You know the ones I mean-

the setup:

I AM ELVIS TABOH, THE ONLY CHILD OF LATE MR AND
MRS. MALICK TABOH .MY FATHER WAS A VERY WEALTHY COCOA
MERCHANT BASED IN ABIDJAN, THE ECONOMIC CAPITAL OF
IVORY COAST BEFORE HE WAS POISONED TO DEATH BY HIS
BUSINESS ASSOCIATES ON ONE OF THEIR OUTING TO DISCUSS
ON A BUSINESS.

then the request:

SIR, I AM HONOURABLY SEEKING YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THE
FOLLOWING WAYS.

1)TO PROVIDE A BANK ACCOUNT WHERE THIS MONEY WOULD BE
TRANSFERRED TO.
2)TO SERVE AS THE GUARDIAN OF THIS FUND SINCE I AM A
BOY OF 26 YEARS.
3)TO MAKE ARRANGEMENT FOR ME TO COME OVER TO YOUR
COUNTRY AFTER THE MONEY HAS BEEN TRANSFERRED.

yadda yadda....

Was just cleaning out the old "deleted items folder"... Used to be able to count on at least a couple of these a day.

Now, its not that I miss them, but they were just such a part of my routine - always good for a chuckle..

Am I just lucky, or is it really over?

[mack]

I still get them now and then, but not nearly as often as I used to. I think scamers are being a lot more targeted than they used to be.

Mack.

[zCat]

Now you mention it, my spam folder (about 8600 mails since last August) doesn't seem to have any recent ones, and on another heavily-spammed account I don't recall seeing any recently either. It does look like the blanket 419 spamming has died down for now.

On the other hand my just today I got an individually addressed one to my gmail account, which slipped passed gmails filters, although the sender obviously has done no more research than determine my email address because he is from South Africa yet writes

"I have made many enquiries to your country's Embassy..."

Now as it happens I am from the People's Republic of Elbonia, which does not currently have diplomatic relationships with South Africa. Unfortunately I don't have any time for scambaiting any more...

[kevinpate]

nah, they've simply diversified into the markets for ED & petrol futures. :)

[malachite]

Now you mention it, I haven't seen one of those for ages.

Shame the same can't be said of pills, potions, watches and p**n. And I seem to be getting a flood of fake mails over the last few weeks from American banks I've never heard of.

[wingslevel]

this has so moved my sense of nostalgia for this great art, that i (in a less than thought-out, impulse) registered spam hall of fame - if i ever get the time (unlikely anytime soon) i'll write something and get it so anyone can post and vote on spam!

[AWildman]

I found just the opposite! On my Yahoo account, I have been getting TONS of that kinda spam. I'm a multibillionaire from all the UK lotteries I've won. No matter how many times I've marked them as spam, I still get the lottery and the freakin' mortgage offers.

[phantombookman]

I too have wondered about this. I use no spam filters at all, have numerous email addresses which are all over the 'net.

I only get a few emails a day now. I noticed a real difference when that guy in the USA was sent to jail.

I also suspect with filters and wiser users it is not longer worth bothering

[Essex_boy]

Being hit by the boat load ingamil, hotmail seems to have slowed.