BOSTON -- Sophos, a world leader in IT security and control, reports that in the run-up to Valentine's Day, spam campaigns selling romantic gifts such as jewelry, chocolate and lingerie continue to increase. However, a new Sophos poll reveals that just five percent of computer users now admit to purchasing goods sold via spam*, compared to nine percent this time last year.

"The fact that there is a decrease in the amount of people that purchase goods through spam demonstrates that the public is becoming more informed about spammers’ tactics,” said Ron O’Brien, Sophos’s senior security analyst. “However, with the millions of people globally that use email numerous times a day, five percent is still enough to keep spammers in business."

Sophos plc