A Lesson For Scammers. Marketers Also Can Learn.

The salutation, Kevin, as you mentioned is certainly important and should be consistent with the message.

Often, in marketing emails, the salutation is also the subject line of the email.

A couple that gall me are the "Personal" and "Re:" citations in subject lines.

If I see a "Re:" it better be a reply to an email I sent. Otherwise, it ain't a "Re:".

If it truly is "Personal" why are you (generic "you") calling me "FIRST_NAME_FIX"?

I have no complaint with someone addressing a message to me by name; after all, I did provide the name.

Just make the email subject line and salutation agree with the body of the email.

Elmer

PS: Kevin, next time we see each other you can buy me a beer with your new found wealth.

Thanks
1 reply

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Paul Myers 14 years ago

If it truly is "Personal" why are you (generic "you") calling me "FIRST_NAME_FIX"?

Amen!

Here's a big hint, folks... Personal emails do NOT require unsubscribe links.

Paul
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- ikontent 14 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by Paul Myers
  
  Amen!
  
  Here's a big hint, folks... Personal emails do NOT require unsubscribe links.
  
  Paul
  
  LOL - I get quite a few that I wish had unsubscribe links
  
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  When I have something good to say, you'll see it here first.
  Connect on Google + : http://gplus.to/ikontent
  
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AmyBrown

14 years ago

I received one recently that was written better than most but still obvious - and they recognized that I have "flair"

They always refer to themselves as Mr. - which isn't all that common anymore, at least on the left coast of the US.

"This business transaction might not fall within the wide spectrum of your business activities, but I plead for your assistance, as your flair for profitable business is needed.

Permit me to introduce myself, I am Mr.Josef Ackerman, the Banking officer
to Engr.Grahams Peterson who was a major contractor to oil companies. On the

21st of April 2006,my client, his wife and their two children were involved
in a car accident along Hollywood Express Road. Unfortunately they All lost
their lives in the event of the accident."

Thanks

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CDarklock

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Kevin Riley

Mike Ellis

LOL

Michael Ellis is the title of the fourth season second episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry, I thought you were someone else."

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Goatboy

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Kevin Riley

Today, I received another one of those countless re-writes of the old Nigerian scam. What caught my attention was the salutation. How often would you get the representative of a staid British bank calling you, "My Dear"?

Very incongruous with the rest of the message. Instant red flag!

It set me to pondering on how some marketers send incongruous messages in their marketing materials. See, if you're going to be a British banker, write like a British banker. If you're a playboy selling dating secrets, write like a playboy. If you're a (INSERT DESIGNATION), write like a (INSERT DESIGNATION).

===================

Hello My Dear,

I am Mike Ellis the Group Finance Director Of Halifax Bank
Of Scotland.
I had Discovered a dormant account in my office of which i
am ready to make you
the fund beneficiary as soon as i hear back from you.
All you need is to follow my instructions.
The amount am talking about is nothing but 15,000,000 GBP-
(Fifteen Million Great British Pounds Sterling).

I will appreciate your urgent response indicating your
interest as well as
leaving me with your direct cell number so I can give you
a call right away.
As soon as I hear from you, I shall update you on further
proceeds.

I will leave you with 25% of the total fund only.

Mike Ellis

=================

BTW, I wouldn't recommend giving Mr Ellis your cell phone number, even if he does call you My Dear.

I get so many of those that I thought about responding with an ad of my own.

...Dearest One Spammers,

Are you having trouble writing spam that has a high rate of conversion?

Are you tired of the same old spiel? Are you still using old saws like:

"Uncle died in plane crash... ."
"You won the UK lottery... ."
"FBI is willing to help you smuggle money into the country... ."

Well, now you can relax and let Goatwriter Spam Messages Service handle all your writing worries...

Thanks
1 reply

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KarlWarren

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Goatboy

...Dearest One Spammers,

Are you having trouble writing spam that has a high rate of conversion?

Are you tired of the same old spiel? Are you still using old saws like:

"Uncle died in plane crash... ."
"You won the UK lottery... ."
"FBI is willing to help you smuggle money into the country... ."

Well, now you can relax and let Goatwriter Spam Messages Service handle all your writing worries...

That's really funny

and so accurate too.

Thanks

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yommys01

14 years ago

It is a shame that this things are happening. It is even more shameful when about 60 % ( the media said 80% but I doubt that ) come from Nigeria.

I just wishh this educated, award winning fools can use all their "sales letter" skills on something more profitable.

Some of them are very good copywriters but wasting away trying to scam other people thereby killing their own conscienece.

Thanks

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Dennis Gaskill

14 years ago

When I get these scammails at my Yahoo email account I always reply with a phone number and tell them to hurry and call me, I'm really excited about the opportunity.

Of course, the number I give them is the FBI's, but hey, it's all in good fun.

Thanks
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PatriciaJ

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Dennis Gaskill

When I get these scammails at my Yahoo email account I always reply with a phone number and tell them to hurry and call me, I'm really excited about the opportunity.

Of course, the number I give them is the FBI's, but hey, it's all in good fun.

I wish I'd thought of doing that about 10 years ago. I was running an offline mag at home and my telephone number was in my email signature. I got so fed up with the spam and scams that one day I replied to a Nigerian 419 advance free fraud scam and told them what I thought of scamsters.

At 11.00 that night I got a phone call from a man with an heavy accent. He said he was ringing from Nigeria and he wasn't happy about my response to his email. He got abusive and he really was quite menacing with his threats. The same happened the next night, but I slammed the phone down a bit quicker. After that I stopped answering the phone at that time of night.

It was worrying, I had read about there being lives lost due to these scams and it would have been really easy to find out my address at the time. Some of these people are dangerous else the FBI and government agencies from other countries wouldn't be so involved.

I learned not to have my phone number in my signature and now I don't make my address as easily available. We shouldn't reply to them but I still reply to them sometimes, wind them up a bit - can't resist that.

One of my favourites was a couple of years ago. It started 'I am Mr. Wang HongZhang, Chief Disciplinary Officer, People's Bank of China, Beijing. I have a business proposal for you.' I wrote an article about it called 'Banking on Being Spanked' it got a lot of views!

The only reason these scams exist is because they work and that's sad.

Thanks

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yommys01

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Dennis Gaskill

When I get these scammails at my Yahoo email account I always reply with a phone number and tell them to hurry and call me, I'm really excited about the opportunity.

Of course, the number I give them is the FBI's, but hey, it's all in good fun.

Extremely, superlatively very funny. I can't stop laughing.

Thanks

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Ross Writer

14 years ago

I have been gettin those for sometime now. a new one i recieved is.... I am the daughter of king blah blah and my father has died and i need money to get my money out. I bet people fall for this stuff all the time.

Thanks
1 reply

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rosetrees 14 years ago

Originally Posted by Ross Writer

I bet people fall for this stuff all the time.

Sadly they do. You can see some of the victims' stories here
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servaldsl

14 years ago

That was my laugh of the day "my dear"

Thanks

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Kelly Verge

14 years ago

This site is for those who wish to take the game back to the scammers. It's pretty interesting.

Thanks

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Goatboy

14 years ago

Before email, they used to do have to do this on the telephone. Remember those annoying phone calls that went "This is XXXX, I've got your toner order for your copy machine but I can't read the model number you have written down here..."

There was another for ink pens that promised a TV if you bought $250 worth and a few others.

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dremora

14 years ago

LOL it's a great idea to give them the FBI's #! I will do it net time I get one of those Nigerian scam mails.

Thanks

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A Lesson For Scammers. Marketers Also Can Learn.

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