Unsolicited messages touting "Online Auction Marketing Secrets!" made the top 10 Spam List for 2002. Brightmail announced the list last week. Anti-virus email was number one on the list, followed by credit card scams with the subject line "Verification Department."

Brightmail said that spammers are often not who they seem to be. Many times the companies named in the "From" line, "Subject" line or in the header are in no way associated with the senders, who use well-known brands to draw attention and attach credibility to their scams or unauthorized marketing.

Furthermore, senders have become increasingly sophisticated in 2002, partly in response to a worldwide backlash against the dramatic rise in spam. With legislators, regulators, technologists and individual email users pitted against them, spammers have had to hide behind digital identity theft.