pop ups/spam

[spiff]

this might sound like a naive question,but what are the point of them. has ANYBODY EVER clicked on a pop-up,or replied or even read spam e-mail? what's in it for the people who produce them? i know they can download trojans/viruses/spyware etc. but nobody can be taken in by "you are the millionth visitor to this site" or suchlike. surely? why do they go to the bother? cheers in advance.

[Loosehead]

Trouble is the audience is so huge and it doesn't take many responses to make it worth it. Also the world does have some extraordinarily dim and gullible people.

[Hammer]

The ones that tell you that there is a system problem and you need to download something to fix it can be quite convincing and I know people that have been sucked in. Not myself, obviusly ...