According to web security firm McAfee anyone surfing the web without protection software will receive up to 70 spam emails per day. The security firm conducted an experiment in which it asked internet users in different parts of the world to surf online without spam filters.

McAfee's results revealed that internet users in the UK the prime targets for 'adult' spam and the now world famous Nigerian emails. The study showed that spam emails are on the increase the world over.

Almost 8% of the spam emails received by users during McAfee's survey could be classified as phishing emails, i.e. where someone tries to get information from the recipient by posing as a reliable source such as a bank for example. A spokesman for McAfee told the BBC that junk mail is closely linked to cybercrime.