• "2005 Digital Cable Filters" (claimed to unscramble digital cable channels).
• "F R E E* 30 Second Pre-Qualification MORTGAGE Application."
• "HURRY HURRY Hot Stock on the RISE."
• "Sale PRICES ARE BEST ONLINE!"
• "Breaking news on the Top Pick stock."
Last year, we were lured by products "seen on 'Oprah' " and offers of low insurance rates. And sex. In 2003, three of the top 10 spams involved sex -- offers for online Viagra and other erectile-dysfunction drugs, promises of "Hot XXX action" and male-enhancement pills and pneumatics.
The sole sex spam in this year's list seems plaintive and desperate by comparison, almost a little lonely among its go-go, sharpie siblings.
What this says about the state of the economy and culture, we'll leave to others.
Despite the desexualization of this year's spam, AOL pointed out that spammers have gone "hardcore" and have become "sophisticated, nefarious, shadowy, devious, deceitful, sneaky, malicious and . . . dedicated."
