What's the purpose..?

In a free Internet based email account I have, occasionally I get emails that appear to have nothing in them or they have unintelligible meanings, such as:

Col a b'a

OR:

Boo :)))

Question is: They are not selling anything, so what's the purpose?

Hi ZT3000,

Could they just be prank E-Mails? You know...a modern version of the phone pranks we used to make when we were kids ( I'm surprised it doesn't happen alot...but you never hear of it happening at all )...

or...just jokes made by friends?

Eg ;)

EDIT: I looked it up for you...it means good-bye...

Chuj (Guatemala) [take care] Col ab'a Chuj (Guatemala) [answer to Col ab'a]

They might be checking to see if the account is active. If they don't get a bounce then they can sell that address as an active, mail accepting account.

Quote:

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a modern version of the phone pranks we used to make when we were kids

---

Gee... don't get me started on those pranks I played as kid. Sometimes I was laughing so much I could hardly get the punch line out, either that or I could hardly run.

Brings back some stupid but hilarious times.

:D

Have you checked the source code?

Some E-mail message have hidden HTML codes, you might want to check it too. Like hidden links (transparent image, or white-color-text link).

Nevertheless, a routine check like what zENGER had mentioned to check your e-mail account is active or not.

-GONE

Check and see if you recognize the email then whois the email then check for white text

zENGER had a nice answer, they might look for alive victimes .....

Another possiblity .... They might use malicious codes {JavaScripts codes} to steal a copy of your cockies and then misuse them {Malicious capsule} .... This just happens ...

I have been recieving the same emails for sometimes ... I think they imply bad intentions inside ..

You can use the IP of the email to resolve the source of the email .. then you can decide what this email would be for ???? Might ve your friends ... not very possible .. but it could be though ...

Cheers