Over two years ago, I posted a series of test pages to research various methods of encoding, or obscuring, email addresses in order to hide them from spambots. Each email address that is presented on those pages is unique to the visitor that reaches the page. In other words, I am able to track which visitors, IP addresses, and user-agents were involved in scraping a test address from my site.
Over that time, a number of people have asked me about results of these tests. Unfortunately, there is still nothing to report. I haven’t received any spam at these addresses. One of the addresses in the test was constructed as a control and was not encoded in any special manner. I had expected to receive lots of spam over that time period. Instead, it did not receive any of the typical mortgage refinance, cheap toner cartridge, hot stock deal, or penis enlargement offers that I tend to get at my everyday email address.
It’s normally great to not be getting spammed… but not so much when you’re deliberately trying to!
