Internet Defense Technologies

You may have seen a recent iTunes email that went something like this:

Subject: Thank you for buying iTunes Gift Certificate!

“Hello!

You have received an iTunes Gift Certificate in the amount of $50.00.  You can find your certificate code in attachment below.

Then you need to open iTunes. Once you verify your account, $50.00 will be credited to your account, so you can start buying music, games, video right away.

iTunes Store.”

Yes, it is a scam! Any time there is an attachment from someone you don’t know offering free goods or services, chances are it is a scam - don’t open the attachment! It could be a all kinds of different viruses and or spyware that can infect your computer.

iTunes is all over stopping this because it infringes on their name and copyright, but in the meantime tell your friends not to open it!

Today, May 3, 1978, was the first time a Spam message was sent via the Internet.

On May 3, 1978, the first documented spam message was sent out to 393 people. It was then customary to only send an individual message via email to a singular end user.

Who could have imagined that the laziness of one individual would have spawned an entire empire of spam?

He wanted to let an entire community know of a new computer model available and rather than spending the entire night typing individual emails he decided he would send one email to 393 people, turn off his computer and be home for dinner and a scotch!

The man who sent the “spam” was given a reprimand for doing so, but that one publicized event spurred on ideas of money making in men less extraordinary and more motivated by the all mighty dollar.

Today the spam industry, yes folks, it is classified as an industry is responsible for estimates as high as 90% of all email sent in the world, has cost businesses and individuals countless billions in lost revenue and time
and many people, their life savings after having been scammed.

It is an interesting comment on the world’s affairs that a single, innocent, lazy, act could result in such a mass cultural abomination.

So, I guess the moral of the story is, don’t be lazy!