Amos:

For some reason spammers love putting their stuff in HTML format.

A reason for this is that most of the "free email" services require you to use html (in your web browser) to access your email. At Hotmail, for example, new free email accounts cannot use Outlook, Outlook Express, or any other "real email" program, unless it's one that handles html. You have to pay for a "super account" for that privilege.

Aside from "that's where the traffic is," the spammers may subscribe to the theory that people who expect "something for nothing" or who are inclined to try to "beat the system" are the easiest to scam.

Who said "you can't cheat an honest man"? They're not looking for honest people, or those with a real grip on reality.

John