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Buying from spam

December 4th, 2008 by , Filed under: Commentary, Spam

I recently received a spam email that wants me to buy solar lamps for the garden, my first impulse of course was to delete it. But I had to admit, I wanted those solar lamps, they looked nice, and the price was ok.

I have no idea what to do now, on the one hand this was sent as part of a spam campain, buying it might prove to be:

1) Fraudulent – pay get nothing (best chances)
2) A scam – pay get nothing worth your money (moderate chances)
3) A legitimate deal – pay and get what I paid for (slim chances)
In addition of course to the fact that if I buy it, I am proving the spammer’s agenda, that someone wants their merchandise and this is their only way to reach him.

What do you guys suggest I do?

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  • http://www.bothunters.pl Borys

    Create special bank account. Buy it. Write about it… :}

  • James

    Researching the company would be a good start. See if it was actually that company that sent the spam, or one of their affiliates. If it was them, chances are they’re a company in trouble, and you won’t want to buy from them.

    If it was an affiliate, I’m sure there’s something in those agreements that say not to do anything to spoil the companies reputation, so: report them, buy the product, be happy.

  • http://www.xyberpix.com xyberpix

    Google the lamps, see if you can get them elsewhere maybe

  • astonished

    Buy a product from a spammed advertisment? You’re joking of course…
    http://www.sophos.com/images/sophoslabs-blog/2008/05/spam-charter.jpg

  • Eponymous

    Never buy from a company advertised in spam for pleasure reasons, it only encourages more spam and rewards wicked people. It puts you in that class of “spam patronizing idiots.” Either find the lamps elsewhere, or do as xyberpix suggests and buy it for research purposes on a shiny new credit card, to track the frauds.

  • http://www.BeyondSecurity.com noam

    Thank you all for your comments, I think I will go as the suggestion said, find the product by the non-spam venue :)

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