What is viral mail?

A viral email is an online chain letter, which is sent from person to person, almost like ancient talking drums. The term ‘viral’ comes from virus, meaning pass-along. Viral mails are generally humorous in nature. These mails are also used for commercial purposes — called viral marketing or advertising; these are used to spread awareness about products, services or concepts. Viral mail is different from spam, which is let loose on the net.