You may notice that comments made to the blog posts may take a day or two to appear. That’s because they get reviewed and approved by the Blogmeister. Why would that be necessary you ask? Amazingly, someone (okay, a LOT of someones) actually takes the time to register a (fake) email address and post some sort of generic silliness to be able to cut-and-paste their web site into the entry. Evidently they think that someone will click on it and find their way to them.

The really funny part is that virtually ALL the blog hosts on the planet catch these things and stuff them in a pile marked SPAM and they never get to the Blogmeister. Even more interesting is the fact that the blog host doesn’t care what the bogus email address is, it still captures the IP and can tell me where they are (if that’s all nerd speak, don’t worry about it; trust me, I can do it). Being the easily-entertained little guy that I am, I sometimes go poking around in there to see who is spending their time (and probably being paid for it) writing advertising to people who will never read it. So what are these people selling? The most recent:

  • A spammer from Russia with a link to a page that doesn’t exist (now THAT is funny, he wasted his time to sell us…errr…nothing).
  • A link to a store selling Celine handbags. Two things that are interesting: first, I never knew you could buy a purse for $10,000. Does it come with a car? Second is that the link is NOT to Celine bags. Nope, it goes to Norway where you can buy them at 70% off. Of course, that really means that either 1) the bags are bogus or 2) they just want you to enter your credit card info so they can go buy their own bags or drugs or whatever it is that criminals do. (There’s about a 99% chance it’s number 2.)
  • A fake email AND a fake site with a “google this” in the little message that leads to a blog about how to get web traffic. Seeing’s how his plan to get traffic is to spend his days spamming blogs, I’m guessing he’s not a real internet guru.
  • A web site that offers SEO (search engine optimization) services. For only a $2,000 setup fee you too can be FIRST on google. The site, as you might imagine, is a single page for a fake company. This one is particularly nasty as it uses what’s referred to as a reverse proxy that hides who and where they really are so that they can accept your $2,000 and you never know where it went. And the only way to be first on google is to pay…well…google.
  • In the “that’s pathetic” department is a site that positions itself as a resource for those suffering with cancer. What it really contains is generic fluff and a barrage of ads for every known crackpot selling miracle cancer cures. Truly sad.
  • Did you know you can buy “likes” for your Facebook page? Yup, just like you can pay people to enter rave reviews on Yelp you can pay them to tell everybody how wonderful your Facebook page is. Wow.
  • Need cash quick? How about a “payday” loan. You too can get $1,000 right away. For a small service fee. That you’ll never see again. Just like the $1,000. And good luck getting it back from a fake company in the Ukraine.
  • Ooooo…shoes. I need new pumps. Of course, much like the bags, the site is bogus and just trolling for your identity. This is my all-time personal favorite, check out their brilliant and insightful comment on the blog entry about how to find notes in a measure:
    “their early triplet competition games against Notre young lady for the fetching become.
    The terminal experience for another happening at the ShopRite LPGA .Nordqvist has two writer customers. McDonald’s now runs specific teams coaches, with Q and his lawyer in front animate thing sidelined due to a well time period Michael Kors Handbags Nike Free Run Tilbud Michael Kors Handbags Outlet goedkope nike air max the business organisation transaction administrative unit. metre is football play same his transact and it’s something you got off. When you pose that , but the Eagles , QB, TB – estimate who’s endorse, surmisal who’s aft, reckon who’s stake. reckon who’s substantiate. infer who’s finance, estimate who’s rear. SOS was wassent to”Hilarious!

So why does the Blogmeister share this bizarre pile of heaping spam with you? Because he loves you and wants you to be safe out there in the vast techno-wasteland. According to the Wall Street Journal and PandaLabs, an internet security firm, there are leech-rodents out there creating upwards of 57,000 fake web sites EVERY WEEK (yikes) to either steal your money or infect your computer with something you don’t want. A stunning percentage of the ads that show up on legitimate web sites lead to something other than what the ad is really for (how many times have you seen the “President Obama is saving you thousands in health care costs” ad?). They’re just part of a rotating set of links that nobody has the time to vet. You pay for the ad space, you get the ad space. Buyer beware.

So what do you do? It’s really very simple with one golden rule: NEVER click on an advertisement you stumble on and NEVER click on an advertisement in an email. Use google to locate the company you’re looking for and enter the site from there. If Macy’s sends you a sale in an email it’ll be on the site too. Go to the source. (Come to think of it, Macy’s is always having a sale, isn’t it?)

Also, if you’re shopping on the interweb thingy, there’s a really good chance that you can get there via www.goodshop.com. I’ve mentioned it before but it’s worth bringing up again, you can register at goodshop and then search for your favorite store. When you click through to it, two good things happen. Okay, one good thing and one great thing. The good thing is that you can be 100% certain that you are going shopping where you intended to. All are trusted links to legitimate sites. The great thing is that you can register on goodshop and select your favorite 501(c)3 non-profit (I can think of a certain group of energetic singers) and donations will be made as part of your purchases. Doesn’t cost you a thing and they write a check at the end of the year.

Sweet.