I've gotten these as well, my spam filter sometimes catches them based on the server they're coming from rather than the content, but sometimes lets them through. I suspect they're an attempt to confuse spam filters so that in the future they let through advertising spam.
Also, did it come with a picture? Some spam contains a thingie that when you open the e-mail it "calls" a website that brings up a picture/image (the image isn't contained in the e-mail itself, but gets placed there when you open the e-mail). The random English is there to make filters think it's a real message, which is why it doesn't contain words like "enlarge", "mortgage", etc.
The call to the website when you open the e-mail lets the spammer know that they've found a valid e-mail address. They can then send more spam and/or sell the address to other spammers.
That's the thing, Mitch, no picture, no hidden URL, nada. So I also don't see what good it does to foil the filter if the message has no substantive content...
If you play it backwards, it says:
MY NAME IS MRS. MARIAM ABACHA THE WIFE OF THE LATE AND FORMER HEAD OF STATE OF NIGERIA GENERAL SANNI ABACHA.
Really. Try it.
Posted by apostropher | Link to this comment | 06-25-04 3:04 PM
I've gotten these as well, my spam filter sometimes catches them based on the server they're coming from rather than the content, but sometimes lets them through. I suspect they're an attempt to confuse spam filters so that in the future they let through advertising spam.
Posted by SP | Link to this comment | 06-25-04 3:07 PM
retal tnemom a iloccorb tnod tsuj i reffoc siht tirem ton noisutnoc tespu siht elttil tsaisuhtne tnorf eht hguorht etarebiled
Shit, you're right.
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 06-25-04 3:17 PM
That's how you say it in Nigerian.
Posted by apostropher | Link to this comment | 06-25-04 3:18 PM
It's poetry, man, poetry.
Posted by freakgirl | Link to this comment | 06-25-04 5:27 PM
it's done to foil a spam-detection technique known as "bayesian filtering." A paper on Bayesian filtering can be found here: http://www.process.com/precisemail/bayesian_filtering.htm
Posted by Chad Robinson | Link to this comment | 06-25-04 6:31 PM
Also, did it come with a picture? Some spam contains a thingie that when you open the e-mail it "calls" a website that brings up a picture/image (the image isn't contained in the e-mail itself, but gets placed there when you open the e-mail). The random English is there to make filters think it's a real message, which is why it doesn't contain words like "enlarge", "mortgage", etc.
The call to the website when you open the e-mail lets the spammer know that they've found a valid e-mail address. They can then send more spam and/or sell the address to other spammers.
Posted by Mitch Mills | Link to this comment | 06-25-04 9:42 PM
That's the thing, Mitch, no picture, no hidden URL, nada. So I also don't see what good it does to foil the filter if the message has no substantive content...
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 06-25-04 11:49 PM
'That's how you say it in Nigerian.'
bullshit, 'retal tnemom' is Nigerian for Rectal Thermometer.
Posted by bryan | Link to this comment | 06-27-04 2:19 AM
I thought it was Bush's State of the Union speech, especially that part about broccoli.
Posted by Spliff | Link to this comment | 06-27-04 6:44 AM