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The top 10 celebrity spammers

The spamming community will use any trick imaginable to try to get you to open up a file

By Thomas Wailgum
August 6, 2008 12:00 PM ET

CIO - No one will deny the global celebrity of Angelina Jolie. She's on the cover of magazines, stars in blockbuster movies and is a ratings bonanza each time she appears on TV. Now that she's had twins, she's got triple the appeal for some fans.

The spammer community loves her too: On average, about 2.28% of the total global daily e-mail volume contains subjects like "Angelina Jolie naked," "Angelina Jolie nude movie" and "Angelina Jolie naked video," according to Secure Computing's latest TrustedSource.org spam report.

"Angelina Jolie, for example, is unknowingly luring many to eagerly install Trojans onto their PCs," notes the Secure Computing report. (That seems like it could put her status as a Goodwill Ambassador in jeopardy.)

So while Jolie is No. 1, who's next on the list?

2. Barack Obama. The presidential hopeful's name is "making the rounds globally," notes the report, even taking the lead against the "enticing lure" of...

3. Paris Hilton. The hotel heiress, wannabe actress and fledgling singer is no stranger to the power and problems of celebrity life in the Internet age. Just to spice things up, she and John "What's a computer?" McCain are now engaged in a war of words.

4. Britney Spears. "Is it that crazy to think Britney actually did send me this e-mail?" Well, not as crazy as when she shaved her head, but close.

5. Hillary Clinton. It probably doesn't make the New York senator too happy that she finished behind Obama again. Must be a right-wing conspiracy. Or perhaps it's the pantsuits' fault.

6. George Bush. C'mon, does he even use e-mail?

7. Jessica Simpson. Sure, she's quite convincing and serious in those infomercials for Proactiv anti-acne skin treatments. But think about it: She's simply too busy with her hair stylist to pull off an e-mail campaign of any variety.

8. Osama Bin Laden. Still going strong from somewhere in Afghanistan or Pakistan. Why he would reveal an IP address to e-mail you is beyond me.

9. Brad Pitt. Apparently Brad will have to get used to playing second fiddle to his famous wife, Angelina Jolie. (And did you notice that he's the only male heartthrob on the list? Matthew McConaughey must be crying over his computer somewhere.)

10. Michael Jackson. The pre-e-mail-era '80s icon is still a "thriller" for spammers. Hot deals on a ranch with llamas and a Ferris wheel included, anyone? Anyone?

This story is reprinted from CIO.com, an online resource for information executives. Story Copyright CXO Media Inc., 2010. All rights reserved.
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