Jul 09 2003
Instant Messaging Spam
Amazing! I just selected “Find a Chat” from the AOL Instant Messenger client running on my PC. I was taken to a list of popular chat groups. I selected one on computer technology and joined it. Ninety percent of the traffic was automated pitches for porn web sites. After about 30 seconds in the chat room, I started getting IM’s directly to my IM address with similar offers. My IM identity has been harvested! Even after leaving the chat room (I was there for less than a minute), I continued to get them. I can just picture getting porno pitch IM’s all day long in the middle of the office.
Well, I ended up setting my IM preference to only accept IM’s from people on my watch list. Hopefully this will blow over and I’ll be able to open it up again…but whew, I guess I shouldn’t be so surprized, but wow.