A tech founder has taken to social media to call out what he described as the "worst cold email" he had ever received. The email features a highly aggressive subject line: "Your family is going to die.” The email, once opened, reveals itself to be a sales pitch for an AI tool. The viral post has sparked a serious discussion about the ethics of automated sales outreach and the fine line between standing out in an inbox and digital harassment.
“Worst cold email I’ve ever gotten. WT*,” San Francisco-based founder Emir Atli wrote. He shared a screenshot purportedly showing the email he received.
The subject line of the email reads: ‘Your family is going to die…” The email continues, “of embarrassment if you don't take advantage of this incredible deal! This week only, we're offering 50% off for new users of [name redacted] Al.”
The message adds, “Want to hop on a quick call to see how we streamline operations for B2B SaaS businesses?” It is signed off by an individual named Brett.
Social media reacts:
The post by the founder has sparked a wave of social media backlash, with many users condemning it as outrageous and unacceptable.
{{/usCountry}}The post by the founder has sparked a wave of social media backlash, with many users condemning it as outrageous and unacceptable.
{{/usCountry}}An individual shared, “AI companies are desperate A*.” Another added, “The subject line alone should be a felony. Zero research, zero personalisation, just vibes and threats. The best cold emails I've seen mention something specific about the recipient's business in the first line. If you can't do that, you have no business emailing them.”
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A third expressed, “Take the call. String him along. Hint at a massive enterprise deal. Ask him to personally oversee it. Then ghost… ghost and ghost some more.”
A fourth wrote, “This dude 100% saw the 'Saw you in the Epstein files' one that went viral a while ago and thought this was a good idea.” The X user referred to an email received by an Indian CEO. Harshdeep Rapal, the founder and CEO of Legitt AI, received an email with the subject: “Your name is in Epstein Files”. The email turned out to be a ploy to grab his attention. “Your name is in Epstein Files,” read the subject line of the email. The body clarified, “Hello Harshdeep, Just kidding, I wanted you to open the mail.” The sender said they were studying at IIT Hyderabad.