This blog has been around a few years now, and my spam filter has caught quite a few spam comments. 107,662 spam comments, in fact. Which is way, way more spam comments than actual bonafide comments from actual bonafide people.
A few years back I made a post in response to some spam comments that amused me, but mostly I don’t give spam much thought.
I recently checked to see what was in my spam box, though, and was amused to see another recent trend in spamming: flattery. Many of the comments were very complimentary about the blog, the post, etc.. The sort of comment that can be nice to get. Take this one:
so much good information on here, : D.
–Natalia Dandoy
Yes, I sometimes do feel like I post good information. But, well, this was on my about page. For that matter, so were all of these¹:
Thanks so much for giving everyone an extraordinarily spectacular possiblity to read critical reviews from this site. It really is very fantastic and jam-packed with a lot of fun for me and my office peers to search the blog at least thrice weekly to read through the fresh items you will have. Of course, I’m so at all times motivated with the special methods you give. Some 3 ideas in this post are indeed the most beneficial we’ve had.
–Ada Matuszewski
At least thrice weekly!
Youre so cool! I dont suppose Ive read anything like this before. So nice to find somebody with some original thoughts on this subject. realy thank you for starting this up. This website is something that is needed on the web, someone with a little originality. useful job for bringing something new to the internet!
–buy mini cooper s
This one I could almost let pass though. Yes! Me! I’m so cool! I’m original! But what exactly is “this subject?” Oh, right. My about page. And what kind of a first name is buy, anyway?
This is great information. Folks, listen to this guy. He’s very bright and knows what he’s talking about. You can’t go wrong with following people who can walk the walk – like him. Great information, dude. Just the way I like it!
–Sudie Franpton
I’m glad Sudie likes my blog. It’s so nice to feel appreciated. On the other hand, it would be nicer if Sudie had bothered to note that I am female. Especially given the fact that Sudie was visiting my about page, where I have a picture of myself. (Of course, in that photo, I have a fish on my head. Maybe Sudie thinks the fish is the blog author…though how the fish could “walk the walk” is unclear to me.)
This is such a wonderful source that you’ll be supplying and you provide it away for free of charge. I like visiting internet websites which understand the value of giving a excellent resource for totally free.
–Wagers
Thanks! I take pride in having an internet website which supplies wonderful source for totally free. If there’s one thing I do, it’s provide it away!
An impressive share, I just given this onto a colleague who was doing a little analysis on this. And he in fact bought me breakfast because I found it for him.. smile.
— mini cooper for sale
I can’t help but wonder what sort of analysis this person’s colleague was doing on “this.” “This,” again, being my about page. Clearly, though, I have underestimated the value of the information on that page. When will someone buy me breakfast?
This is the right blog for anyone who wants to find out about this subject.
–classic mini cooper for sale
I couldn’t agree more. This is absolutely the right blog for anyone who wants to find out about alejna. It is a key resource for those engaged in alejna studies, and is widely considered essential reading for anyone attempting to undertake any sort of thorough alejna analysis.
—
¹ I decided to cite the names given for the spam comments. I wouldn’t want to be accused of stealing credit for this phenomenal writing. Of course, I also wouldn’t want to provide links for them. Also, I will not share with you the details of exceedingly dull comments left by individuals who elected to be known as qgnxwlnpkg and Bzcsmtmq, even though I applaud them for their originality in choosing names.
collecting tokens 
EXACTLY! I have been getting these really good ones also and I have been saving them for a post but then I got lazy…. But I don’t need to any more! :-)
Aren’t they just getting better and better? Sometimes I really did get disappointed when I realized that’s from a spammer because the comment was so flattering!
Well, Absence, we could always compare notes. I might be a bit jealous if it turns out that my admirers, especially buy and Sudie, were going behind my back and flattering you, too. I’ll have to assume that you have a different set of admirers.
I’ve been providing it away for years too. Nice to know you’re appreciated, innit?
Yes, az, you should also take pride in providing it away.
Spam comments are sooooo dumb and they make me soooo angry.
I agree that they are dumb Ashley. And I sense some bitterness here. Have you, too, been bitten by the spam in flattering sheep’s clothing?
I get all excited when I have a new comment and then I open my email and it is so obviously SPAM! But what kills me is the attempts at personalization. It seems even more repulsive that way, and even more pathetic, and something about it ignites rage in me. Like, this person is getting paid to eff my shit up. UGH. You’re so polite about it. It just makes me angry.
Perhaps I don’t get as annoyed because my spam filter is so effective–it’s rare that I get one that breaks through as a comment. And for that I am grateful. (Can you imagine if I had to filter through over 100,000 spam comments myself? I’d go insane and probably quit blogging.)
As for being polite, well, I like to think that I am mocking the spammers, and outing their dastardly deeds. Somehow, though, I find myself not particularly angered by these spammers. Which is probably for the best, since I am angry about so many other things.
I can’t quite explain it, but I’ve got this urge to buy a mini cooper.
These seem all the more sinisterfir their lack of intent.
You should absolutely buy a mini cooper, De. (Actually, the spambots probably found my site based on searches for mini. I had those car show posts, you know. And I have I mentioned that I actually have a Mini? I love my Mini. In fact, maybe this post is really just a ploy on my part to proselytise for Mini.)
They are sinister, though, aren’t they? Or at least very devious. It’s often primarily the URL they give, the one that would be linked from the name, that is obviously directed towards the type of sites I wouldn’t generally link to.
This is the very most informative post I have ever read on this topic ever on the websites on the internet. Sir, you are a credit to your gender.
keep on keeping on,
mini coopers 4 evah
You crack me up, b. I think you have a potential career ahead of you in the field of spam flattery. Sir.
Love.
Glad you like it, magpie. I had fun with it.
Haha! Flattering spam is much better than the kind that wants me to increase the size of my pen1$. I don’t have one of those, but if I did…how dare they assume it isn’t perfectly adequate!
I know what you mean, Kyla. They are an affront to our presumed manliness.
Damn, how did I miss this the first time around. I needed a laugh, too. Most of my spam wants me to put my old person in a fine home. In Chinese. How come I don’t rate fine followers like yours.
Did you buy the car?
Mary, I’m not sure how I scored such flattering spammers. Maybe it’s my pants.
I have to answer (or delete) the webmaster email at work, which is 99% spam. I can now write pitches in multiple languages, including Hebrew and Russian.
Ugh. Email spam bugs me more. That sounds like a pain to sort through, Jennifer.
come on, alejna- you were really phishing for compliments with that about page anyway.
I thought of you today when I read the spam below. I manage our company’s website, and we get loads of spam comments to our blog. It’s hard not to like flattery like this:
I discovered your blog last week and started to follow your posts religiously. I have not commented on any blog just yet but I was thinking I would love to. It’s really exciting to actually contribute to a article even if it’s only a blog. I really don’t know exactly what to write other than I really enjoyed reading through 2 of the articles. Nice articles indeed. I sure will keep visiting your blog weekly. I learned quite a bit from you. Thx!
“follow your posts religiously” – hard not to lap that up! :-)
En outre, poss�dez-vous un flux RSS disponible ? Pourriez-vous me le faire parvenir via email svp ? Merci