Texas spammer fined 10 million dollars

Torith · #1 06-09-2006, 01:12 AM

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060608...m_060608180746

Amdac · #2 06-09-2006, 01:37 AM

I think a jail sentence would have been a much better punishment, it doesn't seem like the fine phased him much.

Rifat · #3 06-09-2006, 03:12 AM

I agree I think a short-term jail sentence and maybe some community service would be better for him.

Aussie Bob · #4 06-09-2006, 03:17 AM

Yeah, he didn't seem to be punished enough. They might have fined him $10M, but did he have the means to pay that amount?

Still, it sends a strong message to spammers and would be spammers.

Disgruntled · #5 06-09-2006, 03:18 AM

The moral of the story is that if you make many tens of millions of dollars dishonestly, someday you may be forced to retire and give up a portion of that money.

Chachi · #6 06-09-2006, 03:50 AM

is spamming illegal?

surely the guy was only punished because he was tricking people into divulging personal information which was later sold on...

I have a cold calling background, started of as a door-to-door salesman. I'm fond of the results direct marketing achieves but obviously I don't believe spamming is effective considering the negative publicity it gets.

I don't believe it's illegal however

Amdac · #7 06-09-2006, 03:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fazel3

is spamming illegal?

Most spam is actually illegal since most spam emails hide the sender's identity.

Quote:

CAN-SPAM Act of 2003

`(2) uses a protected computer to relay or retransmit multiple commercial electronic mail messages, with the intent to deceive or mislead recipients, or any Internet access service, as to the origin of such messages,

`(3) materially falsifies header information in multiple commercial electronic mail messages and intentionally initiates the transmission of such messages,

Reference: http://www.spamlaws.com/federal/108s877.shtml

There's actually a lot more than just that.

Chachi · #8 06-09-2006, 04:01 AM

surely that can be circumvented by basing your operation off-shore? that law would only apply to US based companies

Amdac · #9 06-09-2006, 04:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fazel3

surely that can be circumvented by basing your operation off-shore? that law would only apply to US based companies

Pick a country. The laws are similar for most countries.

Chachi · #10 06-09-2006, 04:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amdac

Pick a country. The laws are similar for most countries.

I choose Iran

maniakaz · #11 06-09-2006, 04:11 AM

Good, but I wonder why US courts are so...soft?
ONLY ten millions. I thinmk this guy managed to phish more than this and his money are resting safely somewhere in a coded account.
If I was a judge - I would sentence him to some 20 years of prison. Or,like in Soviet times - for long years in a psychiatric clinique so that he would spent these years alone, locked in his room and the only thing he receives would be "Buy cheap Viagra", "Rolex replicas", "Your last payment at [web auction, bank] was smth unclear, please re-enter all your personal data". Thenm he would realise what does simple two words - "freedom" and "spam" mean...