This is a new project I’ve been gathering data on for over a year, and I’m going to launch it to the public for the first time. It’s called F.S. (or Form Spammer) Base, and it is an automated collection of all the form comment spam that I have received through contact forms over the past several months, based on a very simple, but surprisingly effective “algorithm” that I developed. As far as I know, there is only one other person who has even had this idea, and I’m not even sure if he has a site for the data…if he has, I haven’t seen it.

Please note that this database contains only form comments that I have received, and does not pertain to email, web forum, or other types of spam…yet (never say never, though).

I have over 2400 attempts logged in the database at the present time, and more are constantly added. As you can see, there are quite a few beauties in there.

I have a few questions I’d like to ask anyone still reading this blog in order to improve upon the concept:

1) What format, if any, would you like me to present this data in (besides the obvious HTML formatting already used) in order to import it into your own spam databases?

2) Is there a microformat that presently exists for this? (I could look, but it might save me some time if someone already knows). If not, I can create my own, no big deal.

3) My host, Sectorlink, has given me permission to use this data and present it openly as long as I don’t present any pornographic image data or directly link to any sites themselves, since the intent isn’t to openly encourage illicit behavior but rather to fight spam. I don’t think this is an issue, since I’m using Server.HTMLEncode on the spam attempt itself to make sure it shows up as code and not the output, but does anyone see anything that would be obviously pornographic? I’m not talking the text itself, but obvious links to porn sites and lewd images.

4) Does anyone see any false positives?

Any other thoughts would be appreciated.

Yeah, I decided to change my name…for the sake of replying to a spammer.

Before I start this post, I’d like to thank Jackie and Mark over at Hibiscus Florals for being extremely good sports and not only letting me respond to the spammer, but allowing me to publish it here for all of you to laugh at. After all, laughter is the best medicine…especially when the terminally stupid get exposed.

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That’s right, kids! You heard it here first: religion and SEO are connected! I didn’t know this until just a few minutes ago, but thanks to the wonders of forum private message spam, I can now become a Demi God or Creator! A user named “Vasity” on Webmaster-Talk has decided to tell me about a wonderful new site that he’s a “member” of.

I would like some people to check out this cool new webmaster forum I have been to www.bgod.net it is a brand new community tell me what you think of it I am just a new member myself there

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There are those of you out there who have noticed that I can spot a forum spammer with some degree of consistency, and have wondered how I do so. While spammers tend to vary their messages and the sites that they promote, they often employ predictable and redundant techniques to promote whatever piece of low-quality garbage du jour they feel like advertising. Not all spammers use all of these techniques, and some don’t use any; but with the knowledge of these simple signs, you too can become a spam spotter and watchdog for your favourite forum(s), and you can help the admins and mods catch at least 75-80% of forum spam.

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For those of you who haven’t seen Parts 1 and 2 of this story, please visit the two links below:

Part 1: A Job Opportunity I Never Applied For
Part 2: The Resume (try to find the references that clearly indicate that it’s a fake.)

Now that you’re up to speed, our girl Lisa from over at Yesup.com is just dying to interview me for a wonderful career with their search engine, despite sending her the resume that I did in Part 2.

From: “Lisa” <lisa@yesup.com>
Sent: April 10, 2007 12:20 PM
To: [my email]
Subject: RE: Job Opportunity

Hi Adam,

Thanks for emailing us your resume. We are quite impressed with your experience.

Since I don’t have your contact number, I am writing you to let you know that we are open for the salary for the position. It depends on the experience of the candidate. The salary structure we are offering is base pay plus the commission. So there is an opportunity to achieve high earnings.

We would like to have a meeting with you. Would you please let me know your convenient time for the meeting?

If you have any question, please feel free to contact me at 905-763-9735.

Best regards,

Lisa

I can understand why she’s impressed. After all, just look at all the stuff I did! I’ve been everywhere, man.

But alas, I don’t feel that I’d be suited for this incredible career opportunity. Naturally, I told her so as diplomatically as possible.

Dear Lisa,

At this point, I am no longer amused by any of this, so I feel it should come to an end right now with some explanations:

1) I am fully aware, and have been the whole time, of my “selection” for this particular position was based on nothing more than spam harvesting bots acquiring this particular email address from the websites on which it is publicly displayed. Under normal circumstances, this email address is a throwaway address/UCE dump and the only reason I checked it in the first place was to get rid of any spam emails that may have accumulated. I do not use it for any professional purposes, and no one who has a legitimate interest in contacting me via email would ever contact me this way.

2) If you’re impressed with my “experience”, how clueless are you? I could take that resume and hand it to 10 barely literate chimpanzees, and 9 of them would recognize that it was a false resume designed to weed out the perennially stupid. The 10th chimp would take his copy of the resume, walk into your office, pick lint off his head, hand in the resume, and wait until Monday when he’d be able to start working for Yesup.

3) What kind of company harvests emails online and spams people, anyway? Have you not heard of Workopolis? Monster? Any of the other hundreds of ways to post a job offer legitimately and find suitable candidates? Or are you looking for people that are even dumber than you are? In any event, no one worth their salt would ever hire someone this way.

You’re looking for someone stupid enough to work for you and never realize how lost Yesup is, and you’ll probably find that person. I’m not it though. Never bother me in any form again. Do not call, email, or contact me in any form or I will be in contact with both the OPP and the ICP with regard to harassment.

Have a wonderful day.

Adam Senour

I hope others appreciate my sacrifice in giving up a wonderful career chance so that another may have it. If anyone wants the job, feel free to contact Lisa, and then buy a clue as soon as you get your first paycheque (which with these lying bastards will probably be about a quarter to never).

Sometimes checking emails that are rarely used for spam and other assorted crap can be worthwhile. Every so often, I receive a gem just like this one:

From: “Lisa” <lisa@yesup.com>
Sent: April 3, 2007 1:19 PM
To: “Lisa” <lisa@yesup.com>
Subject: Job OpportunityBusiness Development Representative

Job Type: Full Time
Location: Richmond Hill , Ontario
Compensation: Hourly, salary + Commission
Job Category: Sales, Internet Advertising
Company URL: Http://www.yesup.net
Year(s) of Experience: 1-2
Number Of Positions: several
Contact E-mail: jobs@yesup.com
Want to join a dynamic team? Yesup Ecommerce Solutions, Inc had been founded in 1999, which wasa pioneer and leading provider of internet advertising company. Our clients rely on our company’s services to optimize their online business performance and increase return on investment.

Responsibilities:

· Generate business opportunities with online media networks
· Provide customer support for your clients’ accounts
· Prepare newsletters
· Make cold calls to prospective customers may be required
· Answer inquiries via email and phone
· Maintain good customer relations
· Identify and solve client problems proactively
· Handle business development projects
· Provide administrative support to Department Managers

Requirements :

· Proficient in oral and written English
· Excellent phone skills
· Strong communication skills
· Strong marketing and sales techniques
· Self-motivated
· Knowledge of Microsoft Products (Internet Explorer, MS Outlook, MS Word)
· Experience in the Ecommerce or Internet Advertising industry is an asset

Additional information: Successful candidate will receive on job training and gain practical experience in the online advertising, e-commerce and web development industry.

Thanks for your interest in the position in Yesup. Please send your resume to jobs@yesup.com.

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