Flattery may get you nowhere but it sure can help build your "double opt-in" spam list. Taking a page from long-term vanity publisher Who's Who, some outfit calling itself "Princeton Premier" is looking to flatter people into divulging their contact information including "the best time to contact." Let me make this perfectly clear: the reason a company asks for the best time to contact you is that they intend to contact you. Yes, that is the Monty Python "Spam, spam, spam, spam" theme song playing in your subconscious right now. Princeton Premier hopes your personal vanity drowns out your better judgement, however, with claims like "Inclusion is considered by many as the single highest mark of achievement."

Just remember this: if they are including "Robot Terror" how prestigious is this registry, anyway?

Return-Path:
Delivered-To: 31-redacted@robotterror.com
Received: (qmail 973 invoked from network); 20 Feb 2008 17:59:42 -0600
Received: from smtp8.resultsmail.com (216.158.103.93)
by mailmaster.robotterror.com with SMTP; 20 Feb 2008 17:59:42 -0600
Received-SPF: pass (mailmaster.robotterror.com: SPF record at bounce.resultsmail.com designates 216.158.103.93 as permitted sender)
Received: by smtp8.resultsmail.com (PowerMTA(TM) v3.2r23) id hnjve50g7aso for ; Wed, 20 Feb 2008 15:24:57 -0800 (envelope-from )
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X-mTrak-cID: 738f570b-b438-45fc-b184-c4fbaaa75e66
From: "Princeton Premier"
To: redacted@robotterror.com
Subject: Robot Terror's Selection Into Princeton Premier
Date: Wed, 20 Feb 2008 15:24:57 -0800
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_Part_140946_30210992.1100888337953"

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Content-Type: text/plain;charset=iso-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Robot Terror, It is my pleasure to inform you that you are being considered for inclusion into the 2008-2009 Princeton Premier Business Leaders and Professionals "Honors Edition" section of the Registry. The 2008-2009 edition of the Registry will include biographies of the world's most accomplished individuals. Recognition of this kind is an honor shared by thousands of executives and professionals throughout the world each year. Inclusion is considered by many as the single highest mark of achievement. Upon final confirmation, you will be listed among thousands of accomplished individuals in the Princeton Premier Registry. For accuracy and publication deadlines, please complete your application form and return it to us within five business days. You may access the application form using the following link: http://app.formassembly.com/forms/view/3366 On behalf of the Managing Director, we wish you continued success. Sincerely, Jason Harris Managing Director Princeton Premier This email was sent to redacted@robotterror.com, by Princeton Premier 23-35a Steinway Street Astoria, NY 11105 United States If you do not wish to receive future e-mail from Princeton Premier, please use the link below. http://rm.resultsmail.com/unsubscribe.cfm?uid=[redacted] Powered by ResultsMail (http://www.resultsmail.com/) ResultsMail Privacy Policy: http://www.resultsmail.com/privacy ResultsMail Permission Email Policy: http://www.resultsmail.com/permission

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At the hosted mail form page (how lame!) are the following fields to be filled out by the honorees:

     First Name: *
     Last Name:  *
     Job Title:  *
     Company Name:
     Phone Number:  *
     Email:  *
     Full Address:
     Country:
     Personal Specialty:
     Best Time To Contact: Morning Afternoon Evening

Thankfully this appears to simply be a mailing list building ruse and not a full-fledged phishing scam. However, there is not a big jump from connecting the requested information with other data sources to provide con-artists what they need to steal your identity. I wonder what the follow-up questions are going to be -- will the bio have a standard format that includes your parents' names? With the above information and your mother's maiden name I have most of what I need to get access to your bank accounts. Scary.

RECOMMENDATION: Junk this solicitation!

Update: I filled out the form and visited the site. It is a social networking site built on phpFox. (They've not even turned off the "Safari warning pop-up" ... lame.) Yeah. It's an attempt to make another LinkedIn. Guess what? FAIL.