I heard about this last year - a rather famous Canadian was overseas and this spambot got his address. For him, it was carelessness...he was using a computer at an internet cafe, a box popped up asking him something, and he clicked "yes" without thinking.

Out went the distress call - to his whole address book!

Bad thing is, it took him a while to convince his friends that it wasn't him lying and trying to collect money!