A method and apparatus for automatically identifying harmful electronic messages, such as those presented in emails, on Craigslist or on Twitter, Facebook and other social media websites, features methodology for discriminating unwanted garbage communications (spam) and unwanted deceptive messages (scam) from wanted, truthful communications based upon patterns discernable from samples of each type of electronic communication. Methods are proposed that enable discrimination of wanted from unwanted communications in short electronic messages, such as on Twitter and for multilingual application.