How many spam emails does it take to sell drugs on the Internet?

In short? A lot!

As reported by the New York Times, it takes 12.5 million emails to earn $100 in Internet-based Viagra sales. The finding comes from a research group engaged in “spamalytics” — trying to find the mechanisms by which revenues are generated from spam. In their most recent paper they found that 95 percent of credit card transactions for spam-advertised drugs and herbal remedies which they purchased were handled by just three financial companies. It is hoped that targeting these focal-points for spam transactions can remove the revenue potentials and curb spam.