The main purpose for these strange words actually is to confuse spam filters, which is why they are usually hidden. This is illegal by the way, so don’t get any ideas about trying to improve your email marketing results. However, you should look for them because, like prospecting in 1849, you may find poetic gold.
Senders can be clever so they’re at times not so easy to find. They can make the font the same color as the background or set it to a size of less than 2px. To find them, highlight the entire message then copy and paste it into notepad or Word. Every once in a while a spammer will mess up and place these words right out there in the open. Then, of course, it’s real easy to spot them.
If you find any Spam Poetry Gems, let me know. Here’s another hint for where to look; most will be found in emails with what seem to be nonsense subject lines or emails that appear to be forwards or replies. Of course, if any of the emails you find include an attachment, do not open the attachment. There is no sense in getting or spreading viruses for the sake of art.
I’ve gotten totally addicted to this now. I am fascinated most by the strange juxtapositions between what they are selling and these hidden messages. To show a bit of that relationship, I’ve included in each sample a brief mention of the product or service they were trying to sell. Some of these poetic pieces become even more mind-blowing when you really think of these two often disparate points. Others are just downright disturbing.
Check my Spam Poetry tag because I’ll be adding new ones all the time.
