What is Spam?

The term spam refers to submitting the same message to a large group of individuals in an effort to force the message onto people who would otherwise choose not to receive this message.

There are two types of spam:

* Cancelable usenet spam refers to spam email in which a single message is sent to 2 or more usenet groups. This type of spam is directed at “lurkers”, or individuals who read newsgroups but who either do not or infrequently post or give their email addresses away. Cancelable usenet spam reduces the utility of newsgroups by forcing through advertising, and as such decreases the ability of administrators and managers of newsgroups to manage accepted topics. This spam is run at a low cost to those sending out spam.

* Email spam refers to spam email that is directed at individual users with direct addresses; email spam lists are usually created by scanning usenet postings, sterling Internet mailing lists or searching the Web for addresses. A variant of this form of spam is sent directly to mailing lists and email discussions that are used by public and private forums. Email spam costs individuals submitting spam email money; for example, ISPs and onine services need to pay to transmit spam directly to subscribers.

In addition, there are three main components to all types of spam:

* anonymity: the sender’s identity and address are concealed

* mass mailing: spam email is sent to a large number of recipients and in high quantities

* unsolicited: the individuals receiving spam would otherwise not have opted to receive it

Common forms of spam include commercial advertising, usually for dubious products, such as get-rich-quick schemes, quasi-legal services, political messages, chain letters and fake spam used to spread viruses.

How Common is Spam?

Spam is very common, with most if not all individuals receiving spam email at some point in their Internet-using lives.

However, the effectiveness of spam is not comparable. Only 14% of people read the spam they receive, with a mere 4% of individuals buying products from spam messages.

Spam Statistics and Facts

Spam is a huge issue for most Internet users – in fact, 52% of participants polled in a recent survey stated that spam was a major problem. And despite the evolution of anti spam software, such as spam filters and spam blockers, the negative effects of spam are still being felt by individuals and businesses alike. Think you know all you need to know about spam? Read on for some alarming spam statistics and facts about spam email.

Statistics and Facts About Spam

Spam accounts for 14.5 billion messages globally per day. In other words, spam makes up 45% of all emails. Some research companies estimate that spam email makes up an even greater portion of global emails, some 73% in fact. The United States is the number one generator of spam email, with Korea clocking in as the second largest contributor of unwanted email.

The most prevalent type of spam is advertising- related email; this type of spam accounts for approximately 36% of all spam messages. The second most common category of spam is adult-related in subject and makes up roughly 31.7% of all spam. Unwanted emails related to financial matters is the third most popular form of spam, at 26.5%.

Surprisingly, scams and fraud comprise only 2.5% of all spam email; however, identity theft (which is known as phishing) makes up 73% of this figure.

Because spam has inundated both the personal and corporate world of emailing, it has affected the way that individuals and companies feel about spam. In fact, surveys have found that spam has led to decreased public confidence and trust in Internet communications. A study conducted in 2005 found that 53% of people interviewed had lost confidence in communicating through email due to spam. However, this percentage dropped from 62% the year before.

Companies also find spam a troublesome problem that reduces productivity and safety. Fifty two percent of companies interviewed for a recent study listed minimizing spam as their top priority.

However, anti spam measures such as spam blockers provide some hope in the fight against unwanted email. In fact, MSN alone blocks some 2.4 billion spam emails every day.

The Costs of Spam: How Spam Affects Your Bottom Line

According to a study by the Radicati Research Group Inc., a research firm based in Palo Alto, California, spam costs businesses $20.5 billion annually in decreased productivity as well as in technical expenses. Nucleus Research estimates that the average loss per employee annually because of spam is approximately $1934.

Predictions for the future costs of spam don’t look any brighter. It is estimated that 58 billion junk emails will be sent every day within the next four years, a figure that will cost businesses some $198 billion annually.

However, some researchers believe that based on an estimated current cost of $49 annually per inbox, the total cost of spam for businesses will balloon to $257 billion per year if spam continues to flourish at its current rate.