The FTC does some well-earned bragging on its site about the court decision, on a 2007 case against spammers from Canada and St. Kitts.
The FTC charged that the operation used spammers to drive traffic to Web sites selling an extract of the hoodia gordonii plant it claimed would cause significant weight loss, and a "natural human growth hormone enhancer" it claimed would reverse the aging process. The FTC alleged that these claims were false or unsubstantiated, and charged the defendants with deceptive advertising in violation of federal law. It also alleged that the spammers sent e-mail that contained false "from" addresses and deceptive subject lines, and that they failed to provide a required opt-out link or physical postal address.
A disappointment to everyone out there who secretly hoped a spam-inspired diet would trim your flab. In the end, the only thing the spam artists knew how to slim down was its own bankroll.
Court Orders Spammers to Give Up $3.7 Million [Federal Trade Commission] (Thanks, Brett!)
(Photo: O Pish Posh)
Which is to say, they don't give a fuck unless it would make them look worse than their competition. It costs them money and doesn't give return on their investment. Spammers are paying customers who understand that they're out multiple months hosting when they get caught and suspended, and just consider it an operational expense. When they're making millions from crooked businesses to drop ad-bombs, they don't care, and this $3.7 million decision is being paid with the spare change they find in the couch.
]]>I mean, who would be interested in a Magic Stick when you have the option of getting a Very Very Magic Stick?
]]>Because filtering is an inexact science. When your email program does it, you can usually view what gets filtered out and try to improve it by telling it stuff isn't junk. If it gets blocked before it gets to you, then you don't have that chance, and some legit emails will get missed. And nothing pisses off customers more than deleting important emails without them knowing it.
]]>I noticed a great reduction of Spam when I was using the Blue Frog Security service. (See wikipedia), but alas, the white flag went up way too fast.
]]>I have Thunderbird set to intercept and check anything that gets through my Yahoo controls but inevitably, some crap gets through and has to be dealt with manually.
The ISPs and web portals could definitely be doing a better job.
]]>The only way that spammers will disappear is if their spam doesn't get through, nobody responds and they go out of business.
I think our IP's need to do a better job blocking this stuff. If my junk mail filter knows it is spam, why doesn't RoadRunner?
Just my opinion.
]]>Spammers know that their products sell, regardless how much we all hate to have our inbox filled with this garbage.
For every one million messages sent out, if only 1% actually bought the product they've made their initial investment and reaped a profit.
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