# Just exactly how much scummier can spammers get? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 16, 2003, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-exactly-how-much-scummier-can-spammers-get/195543 "2003-08-16T05:18:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-exactly-how-much-scummier-can-spammers-get/195543/21 "2003-08-17T03:10:37Z")
I would appreciate if you didn’t challenge spammers to find scummier ways of plying their trade. They’re likely to accept and I haven’t finished coding my “Kill Sender (patent pending)” button for Outlook Express. ---
**Author:** ![SkyBum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@SkyBum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkyBum)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-exactly-how-much-scummier-can-spammers-get/195543/22 "2003-08-17T04:10:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by D\_Odds \* > \*\* I haven’t finished coding my “Kill Sender (patent pending)” button for Outlook Express. \*\* I have to admit, I’m not a violent person but were there a way to “remotely kill” spammers, I’d do it without a moment of hesitation. Hell, I’d even have a smile on my face. Be sure to send me your program when you get to beta testing. I’d sure love to test it. DEATH TO SPAMMERS! ---
**Author:** ![Krisfer\_the\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Krisfer\_the\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krisfer_the_Cat)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-exactly-how-much-scummier-can-spammers-get/195543/23 "2003-08-17T05:20:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by D\_Odds \* > \*\*I would appreciate if you didn’t challenge spammers to find scummier ways of plying their trade. They’re likely to accept and I haven’t finished coding my “Kill Sender (patent pending)” button for Outlook Express. \*\* Send me one as well. Some absolutely triple goddamned fuckhead signed me up to every kiddie porn ring on the net. _shudders_ If I catch him he/her WON’T live to regret it ---
**Author:** ![Testy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c37758/32.png) [@Testy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Testy)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-exactly-how-much-scummier-can-spammers-get/195543/24 "2003-08-17T05:53:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by D\_Odds \* > \*\*I would appreciate if you didn’t challenge spammers to find scummier ways of plying their trade. They’re likely to accept and I haven’t finished coding my “Kill Sender (patent pending)” button for Outlook Express. \*\* Please sign me up. I want something that puts 220 volts across his mouse buttons every time he hits “send.” Testy ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-exactly-how-much-scummier-can-spammers-get/195543/25 "2003-08-17T06:09:52Z")
Screw the buttons. ---
**Author:** ![Testy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c37758/32.png) [@Testy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Testy)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-exactly-how-much-scummier-can-spammers-get/195543/26 "2003-08-17T06:45:01Z")
Agreed. Screw this defensive shit. Why should I have to huddle behind a firewall? I want something offensive and nasty, something that melts their hard drives and makes their CPU jump clean out of its socket. Testy ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-exactly-how-much-scummier-can-spammers-get/195543/27 "2003-08-17T14:57:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lobsang \* > \*\*ok **manhattan** my dingle is back where it belongs, and it’s gonna stay there. > > (not on my head) > > P.S. If you don’t mind me asking - _did_ I make any work for you? \*\* Not a ton, but that’s only because we came across this one first. Also, I errantly confused you with someone else whom I had warned for similar behavior in the past. So whilst you still shouldn’t do that and the warning stands, it should read less ominously (or something) than I originally intended. Sorry for the confusion. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-exactly-how-much-scummier-can-spammers-get/195543/28 "2003-08-17T16:34:46Z")
…but it’s definitely in the same neighborhood. Behold, a wolf in shepherd’s clothing: [SPYWARE NUKER](http://www.spywarenuker.com/) The webpage makes the download appear to be a benign and useful spyware removal tool, but what it actually does is remove common spyware components, and then install even _worse_ spyware. Most spyware companies, like Aureate, Cydoor, and the usual suspects, make at least a _gesture_ in the way of legitimacy – a click-through license which contains language which describes (maybe a bit obliquely,) what you’re letting yourself in for. Not Spyware Nuker – they just let you assume it does what they say it does and nothing more. In fact, it also installs the ADW\_TENGET.A backdoor, which _beyond_ randomly rerouting your browser to advertisers’ websites from time to time, also allows third parties to access your computer to:[ul][_]Open files for reading[_]Load files[_]Open files for writing[_]Open Internet connection[_]Open URL[_]Download and execute files from the Internet[_]Create, edit, and delete registry values[_]Delete and copy filesRetrieve system information[/ul]Gotta love the [Cnet user opinions](http://download.com.com/3302-2094_4-10165749.html) on this puppy. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-exactly-how-much-scummier-can-spammers-get/195543/29 "2003-08-17T19:34:58Z")
Here’s a good one: you know that msblaster virus/backdoor that’s going around? The one that makes a window pop up on your screen, telling you you’ve got 1 minute before your computer reboots? Last night, I saw a pop-up ad made to look like that window. “What the fuck? I thought I got rid of that! Hey, wait a minute…” Fucking bastards. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Green\_Feather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e7dd6/32.png) [@The\_Green\_Feather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Green_Feather)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-exactly-how-much-scummier-can-spammers-get/195543/30 "2003-08-17T22:16:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by D\_Odds \* > \*\*I would appreciate if you didn’t challenge spammers to find scummier ways of plying their trade. They’re likely to accept and I haven’t finished coding my “Kill Sender (patent pending)” button for Outlook Express. \*\* [Firesign Flashback] “Now, now boys. Fightin’s out of style. Fun’s were the fair’s at. In the future. Affair for all and no fair to anybody…” [/Firesign Flashback] Perhaps you should consider a “Severly Offend Sender (pat. pend.)” button instead? Nah. Probably not very effective. “Gently Maim Sender (pat. pend.)”? Cruel but satisfying. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-exactly-how-much-scummier-can-spammers-get/195543.md?page=1)