Overweight

Do not be a victim of spam just because you want to lose weight fast. Do not join the group of users who lost money in those bogus offers. The spam trap is there, and it has been intended for you. Be sensible enough not to say “yes” to the products that claim instant weight loss. Find a reliable site offering genuine products. Be wary of con artists who have mastered their craft and make their claims appear legitimate. Guard your privacy before they take it away from you.

In general, there are 2 types of weight loss claims that are sent through spam mail. The initial one claims that a product such as a pill, ointment, patch, or others can guarantee weight loss even without dieting or exercise. The second are those that claim to block fat absorption, calories or carbohydrates so you don’t add weight.

The results of a New York-based research study have given additional light as to why overweight individuals are easily victimized by spam. For every five overweight people, one has been a victim of spam. Another result shows that 88% of overweight people say that they received spam. As to the opening of spam, 42% of overweight individuals say they have opened the emails, and a good 18% of people with weight problems say they bought the products offered in the mails.

You might ask why more fat people get this particular spam. Experts explain that these people read more weight loss internet sites than other people consequently they end up in the databases of these online businesses. Additionally, they also provide their personal info to these internet sites. Consequently, these spam emails might come from two sources. These might be from the website owner itself, or from a third party that has access to the owner’s database.

Spam will not work if users will not give the information that spammers require. Basic among all these is personal information, especially an email address that is uploaded online. Some seemingly simple posts such as “I want to lose weight” placed in social networking sites can trigger spam. Keep in mind the 42% open rate and 18% conversion rate of weight loss spam. Let us look at a “worst case” spam scenario. For example, a spammer will send email offering a bogus weight loss product to 1,000 targeted individuals. Calculate how many emails equals 1% of these. It is 10. If ten spam recipients finally decide to buy the “product” being offered, how much money would the spammer have? Assuming that the unit cost of the product is $50, the spammer gets $500.

Also, simple posts such as “I want to lose weight” sent to social networking sites can set off spam. The numbers presented earlier can give a picture of what a spammer can get out of the emails. Do not forget the 42% open rate and 18% conversion rate. For instance, a spammer will send emails to 1,000 targeted individuals. Because of anti-spam protection, let us say only 100 people opened these emails (less than 42%). With an 18% conversion rate, it means 18 individuals ultimately buy the product. If the unit price is $50, the spammer gets $900 – it’s as simple as that! Being alert with websites and cautious with your personal information is the best way to avoid spam. Do not give up your email address easily because of the claims that they make. Social networking sites offer privacy settings that you can easily learn to use to your advantage. Finally, do as experts advise about losing weight safely. Burning more energy and eating fewer calories is not the fastest, but surely the safest way to lose weight.

Being heavy does not mean that you have to put up with additional threats on the Internet. Follow these simple online safety rules and use an Anonymous Proxy to be safe on the net.