Best Example Yet on E-Mail Marketing Abuse

This was one of those 'you won a free iPod' ads put out by ConsumerIncentiveRewards.com. Don't do them. After just a handful of pages, and might I add, opting out of everything, it took only hours for the flood to start. We don't even have a page for them yet, and they're already one of the top abusers.

This is nothing but a scam to gain a foothold in your e-mail and never let go. Furthermore, they do give your e-mail address to other (affiliated) marketers, and then those marketers give your
e-mail to other marketers, and so on. It's pretty clear you couldn't stop it if you wanted. We're already seeing incoming e-mail from non-ConsumerIncentiveRewards.com domains absolutely dwarfing anything actually originating from them.

It's absurd to think that anyone would want this much incoming e-mail. And it's also clear no one but the uber-wealthy has enough money to actually take advantage of all the offers presented . . . In other words, they inundate you with WAY more than the average American could ever possibly afford.

Tracking Page: ConsumerIncentiveRewards.com

Amazon.com is Early Benchmark

As we've started registering ('seeding') websites with use-once-only e-mail addresses, Amazon is clearly the front runner so far. Not only have they resisted the temptation to send bulk e-mail, but they didn't even employ the often-used Welcome! e-mail almost always sent to new registrants.

We actually circled back just to make sure the account was created (and that the superior service was not actually due to a breakdown on our end). Nope. The account exists, and Amazon clearly gets taking your privacy and your e-mail to heart.

Tracking Page: Amazon.com

AmateurMatch.com Shows Very Early Signs of Abusive Behavior

We haven't even published a week's worth of data yet, and AmateurMatch.com is nearly at the top of the list of abusive use of e-mail. True, we had a feeling this might happen from independent research on the internet, but we wanted to give them a fair chance.

To date -- and just within the first week -- we've received huge numbers of solicitations from Women seeking . . whatever. None of them are in the area, and this is in response to an utterly blank profile. Why anyone would take time out of their day to e-mail someone who didn't say a lick about themself is beyond me.

That, and the fact the website uses what they call Online Cupids, which are really nothing more than paid employees (or people they sucked into their questionable business) with nothing but the target of reeling you in and stringing you along. It's such a bad practice that they actually have to admit they do it, but that doesn't make it Ok in the least. If there's a really good service at its core, then people will use it. If not, then things like Online Cupids should be a clear indicator that it doesn't work to begin with.

Tracking Page: AmateurMatch.com