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First spam message was sent in 1864 over telegraph wires [Telecom]
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Thad Floryan
May 5, 2014, 5:44:01 AM5/5/14
to
One of my favorite drinks is Snapple Lemon Tea. Under the bottecap of
every Snapple beverage is a trivia item, and one that I haven't seen
before today contained this tidbit:
Real Fact #950
The first spam message was transmitted over telegraph
wires in 1864.
Googling found this web page:
http://www.computerhistory.org/revolution/the-web/20/392/2172
which corroborates that tidbit and the date as 1-June-1864 with this
scanned typewritten message:
TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES
Sir, -- On my arrival home late yesterday evening a "telegram,"
by "London District Telegraph," addressed in full to me, was
put in my hands. It was as follows: --
"Messrs. Gabriel, dentists, 27, Harley-street, Cavendish-square.
Until October Messrs. Gabriel's professional attendance at 27,
Harley-street, will be 10 till 5."
I have never had any dealings with Messrs. Gabriel, and beg to
ask by what right do they disturb me by a telegram which is
evidently simply the medium of advertisement? A word from you
would, I feel sure, put a stop to this intolerable nuisance. I
enclose the telegram, and am,
Your faithful servant,
Upper Grosvenor-street, May 30. M. P.
As stated in a sidebar at the above URL:
This is one of the earliest known unsolicited electronic
messages. But telegrams were costly to send, which limited spam.
Bingo! Charge for email and spam will disappear. Yeah, sure. :-)
Thad
every Snapple beverage is a trivia item, and one that I haven't seen
before today contained this tidbit:
Real Fact #950
The first spam message was transmitted over telegraph
wires in 1864.
Googling found this web page:
http://www.computerhistory.org/revolution/the-web/20/392/2172
which corroborates that tidbit and the date as 1-June-1864 with this
scanned typewritten message:
TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES
Sir, -- On my arrival home late yesterday evening a "telegram,"
by "London District Telegraph," addressed in full to me, was
put in my hands. It was as follows: --
"Messrs. Gabriel, dentists, 27, Harley-street, Cavendish-square.
Until October Messrs. Gabriel's professional attendance at 27,
Harley-street, will be 10 till 5."
I have never had any dealings with Messrs. Gabriel, and beg to
ask by what right do they disturb me by a telegram which is
evidently simply the medium of advertisement? A word from you
would, I feel sure, put a stop to this intolerable nuisance. I
enclose the telegram, and am,
Your faithful servant,
Upper Grosvenor-street, May 30. M. P.
As stated in a sidebar at the above URL:
This is one of the earliest known unsolicited electronic
messages. But telegrams were costly to send, which limited spam.
Bingo! Charge for email and spam will disappear. Yeah, sure. :-)
Thad
Jim Haynes
May 5, 2014, 3:46:34 PM5/5/14
to
There were also scams involving telegraphy. A couple I read about:
A boy got some telegraph company stationery and a reasonable facsimile
of a telegraph delivery boy's uniform. He prepared a fake telegram, put
into an envelope, and took it to a company saying it was a collect telegram.
When they paid, he gave them the fake and left.
An executive of a U.S. company was traveling in Europe. The scammers
sent a message to his company, ostensibly from him, telling them to
accept a shipment of chemicals and pay $500 C.O.D. The company paid,
and the chemicals turned out to be bottles of colored water.
A boy got some telegraph company stationery and a reasonable facsimile
of a telegraph delivery boy's uniform. He prepared a fake telegram, put
into an envelope, and took it to a company saying it was a collect telegram.
When they paid, he gave them the fake and left.
An executive of a U.S. company was traveling in Europe. The scammers
sent a message to his company, ostensibly from him, telling them to
accept a shipment of chemicals and pay $500 C.O.D. The company paid,
and the chemicals turned out to be bottles of colored water.
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