L`Vioxx' bumps `Viagra' from spam top 10

SCAM, FRAUD TYPICAL OF 2004 JUNK E-MAIL

NEW YORK (AP) - ``Viagra'' is out. ``Vioxx'' is in.

That's according to America Online's second annual list of top spam terms.

And while last year's spam pitched a variety of products, this year's messages were ``much more scam and fraud oriented,'' sent largely by hard-core spammers with criminal intent, AOL spokesman Nicholas Graham said.

So the top 10 list for 2004, based on the subject lines of messages reported as spam by subscribers, included ``Breaking news on the Top Pick stock,'' as well as messages aimed at tricking recipients into revealing personal information like bank account numbers.

AOL said porn-related spam decreased, though one touting ``hot lesbian action'' made the list. Such spammers are changing their tactics: Rather than carrying embedded pornographic images, the ones that did come through tended to have links to external porn sites, which AOL could then block subscribers from reaching, Graham said.

AOL released the list two days after it said it noticed a decrease in spam messages over the past year.