Email Marketing

Words and Phrases that Trigger Some Spam Filters

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published by Web Marketing Today. Practical Ecommerce acquired Web Marketing Today in 2012. In 2016, we merged the two sites, leaving Practical Ecommerce as the successor.

I built this list of some 250 words and phrases from two spam filter lists. It is not complete. I have left out porn trigger words. Most spam filters work on a point system, so that the occurrence of just one “spam phrase” probably won’t trigger rejection — except some which the filter considers notorious. SpamAssassin 2.43, for example, assigns default points for these top offenders, as follows:

 

Reverses aging 3.37
‘Hidden’ assets 3.28
stop snoring 3.26
Free investment 3.19
Dig up dirt on friends 3.12
Stock disclaimer statement 3.04
Multi level marketing 3.01
Compare rates 2.83
Cable converter 2.75
Claims you can be removed from the list 2.70
Removes wrinkles 2.69
Compete for your business 2.57
free installation 2.51
Free grant money 2.50
Auto email removal 2.36
Collect child support 2.33
Free leads 2.29
Amazing stuff 2.26
Tells you it’s an ad 2.21
Cash bonus 2.20
Promise you …! 2.15
Claims to be in accordance with some spam law 2.11
Search engine listings 2.09
free preview 2.07
Credit bureaus 2.03
No investment 2.01
Serious cash 2.00

But even if you don’t use these notorious phrases, other spam words can add up. Here are some to be aware of in your e-mail newsletters — and ads contained in your newsletters.

4U
Accept credit cards
Act now! Don’t hesitate!
Additional income
Addresses on CD
All natural
Amazing
Apply Online
As seen on
Billing address
Auto email removal
Avoid bankruptcy
Be amazed
Be your own boss
Being a member
Big bucks
Bill 1618
Billion dollars
Brand new pager
Bulk email
Buy direct
Buying judgments
Cable converter
Call free
Call now
Calling creditors
Cannot be combined with any other offer
Cancel at any time
Can’t live without
Cash bonus
Cashcashcash
Casino
Cell phone cancer scam
Cents on the dollar
Check or money order
Claims not to be selling anything
Claims to be in accordance with some spam law
Claims to be legal
Claims you are a winner
Claims you registered with some kind of partner
Click below
Click here link
Click to remove
Click to remove mailto
Compare rates
Compete for your business
Confidentially on all orders
Congratulations
Consolidate debt and credit
Stop snoring
get it now
Special promotion
Copy accurately
Copy DVDs
Credit bureaus
Credit card offers
Cures baldness
Dear email
Dear friend
Dear somebody
Different reply to
Dig up dirt on friends
Direct email
Direct marketing
Discusses search engine listings
Do it today
Don’t delete
Drastically reduced
Earn per week
Easy terms
Eliminate bad credit
Email harvest
Email marketing
Expect to earn
Fantastic deal
Fast Viagra delivery
Financial freedom
Find out anything
For free
For instant access
For just $ (some amt)
Free access
Free cell phone
Free consultation
Free DVD
Free grant money
Free hosting
Free installation
Free investment
Free leads
Free membership
Free money
Free offer
Free preview
Free priority mail
Free quote
Free sample
Free trial
Free website
Full refund
Get paid
Get started now
Gift certificate
Great offer
Guarantee
Have you been turned down?
Hidden assets
Home employment
Human growth hormone
If only it were that easy
In accordance with laws
Increase sales
Increase traffic
Insurance
Investment decision
It’s effective
Join millions of Americans
Laser printer
Limited time only
Long distance phone offer
Lose weight spam
Lower interest rates
Lower monthly payment
Lowest price
Luxury car
Mail in order form
Marketing solutions
Mass email
Meet singles
Member stuff
Message contains disclaimer
Money back
Money making
Month trial offer
More Internet traffic
Mortgage rates
Multi level marketing
MLM
Name brand
New customers only
New domain extensions
Nigerian
No age restrictions
No catch
No claim forms
No cost
No credit check
No disappointment
No experience
No fees
No gimmick
No inventory
No investment
No medical exams
No middleman
No obligation
No purchase necessary
No questions asked
No selling
No strings attached
Not intended
Off shore
Offer expires
Offers coupon
Offers extra cash
Offers free (often stolen) passwords
Once in lifetime
One hundred percent free
One hundred percent guaranteed
One time mailing
Online biz opportunity
Online pharmacy
Only $
Opportunity
Opt in
Order now
Order status
Orders shipped by priority mail
Outstanding values
Pennies a day
People just leave money laying around
Please read
Potential earnings
Print form signature
Print out and fax
Produced and sent out
Profits
Promise you …!
Pure pro
fit
Real thing
Refinance home
Removal instructions
Remove in quotes
Remove subject
Removes wrinkles
Reply remove subject
Requires initial investment
Reserves the right
Reverses aging
Risk free
Round the world
S 1618
Safeguard notice
Satisfaction guaranteed
Save $
Save big money
Save up to
Score with babes
Section 301
See for yourself
Sent in compliance
Serious cash
Serious only
Shopping spree
Sign up free today
Social security number
Stainless steel
Stock alert
Stock disclaimer statement
Stock pick
Strong buy
Stuff on sale
Subject to credit
Supplies are limited
Take action now
Talks about hidden charges
Talks about prizes
Tells you it’s an ad
Terms and conditions
The best rates
The following form
They keep your money — no refund!
They’re just giving it away
This isn’t junk
This isn’t spam
University diplomas
Unlimited
Unsecured credit/debt
Urgent
US dollars
Vacation offers
Viagra and other drugs
Wants credit card
We hate spam
We honor all
Weekend getaway
What are you waiting for?
While supplies last
While you sleep
Who really wins?
Why pay more?
Will not believe your eyes
Winner
Winning
Work at home
You have been selected
Your income
Dr. Ralph F. Wilson
Dr. Ralph F. Wilson
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