Homer Likes Donuts, Not Spam, So Don't Click

by Gregory Sullivan — Monday, July 23, 2007, 11:00 AM EDT

There's bad, and then there's evil. But spammers are worse than evil. And the worst version of evil is to use our beloved Homer Simpson to trick you into giving up your e-mail address, and then signing you up for a spam barrage. Don't click on that survey about the Simpsons movie.

The spammed e-mails try to lure unsuspecting users to a Web site, where their e-mail addresses will be harvested for later spamming attacks, according to researchers at Sophos. To get users to visit the site, the spam claims recipients will be given a $500 Visa gift card if they click on a link and participate in an online survey about the movie.

Each e-mail contains a graphic of Homer Simpson sitting on his sofa wearing a Superman crop-top and tighty-whities. A message in the image asks: "Will you go see the movie The Simpsons? Take our short survey now."

"You would be as crazy as Krusty the Clown to enter an e-mail address on that page," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant for Sophos, in a statement. "Not only are your chances of receiving a gift less than zero, but you are delivering a valid e-mail address to a spammer on a platter. Lists of living, breathing e-mail addresses are what keep the spam industry afloat. By confirming your contact address, you are helping the spammers and increasing your chances of being deluged by junk e-mail."

I don't care if you spammers have run out of dead Nigerian dictators. Leave our Homer alone. It's inhuman to bother a man in his underwear, even if he is bright yellow.

Tags: spam, home, Donut, Mer, click, Like, Likes, AM, K

Homer Likes Donuts, Not Spam, So Don't Click

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