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Spammer Slapped with $11.2bn Fine

Techtree News Staff, Jan 06, 2006 1556 hrs IST

US-based ISP - CIS Internet Services, has been awarded $11.2 billion in damages, in a judgement against a spammer...

In a body-blow to spammers, US-based Internet service provider - CIS Internet Services, has been awarded a whopping $11.2 billion in damages, in a judgement against a Florida spammer who allegedly sent millions of unsolicited e-mails to CIS' users. The latest judgement ruled by US District Judge, Charles R Wolle, on 23 December, 2005, also prohibits spammer McCalla from accessing the Internet for 3 years. Robert Kramer, owner of CIS, had filed a lawsuit against James McCalla and other defendants in 2003, alleging that over 280 million spam email messages were sent to CIS email accounts. The emails advertised mortgages, debt consolidation services, plus pornographic and gambling Web sites. Several of the initial defendants named in Kramer's suit, have been dropped in the last couple of years; with judgements totaling over $1 billion issued against Cash Link Systems, AMP Dollar Savings, and TEI Marketing Group. Kramer said that he is pleased with the latest ruling, and that its a victory for every email user and every responsible ISP. He said that the ruling sets a new standard, and that gross abusers of email risk not only exposure to public ridicule, but also economic death penalty. Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant, Sophos, welcomed the judgement saying that spam is not just a nuisance for individual computer users, but also for ISPs who are hit in the pocket by having to pay for the band-width to deliver and store hundreds of millions of messages. However John Mozena, co-founder and vice president, Coalition Against Unsolicited Commercial E-mail (CAUCE), expressed the view that Kramer's lawsuit is unlikely to make a significant dent in the spamming problem. He said what is really required is a federal anti-spam law in USA, akin to that in countries like Australia.

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Discussion Board

Sabier

,Hyderabad, on Jan 06, 2006 05:10 PM

11.2 billion dollars ? Am I hearing that number right ? @_@ Mother of God !. Serves them right. But even Bill Gates would rather go to prison that shell out that much.

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Roshan Ashraf

,Mumbai, on Jan 10, 2006 12:34 PM

You'll never know

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terry h

,Moncton, on Jan 09, 2006 05:10 AM

11 billion $. thats ludicrous. bill gates would have trouble paying that one. are people too damn lazy to use the "block sender" button? spam online is no worse than opening your mailbox at home and finding all that pizza, credit card, etc etc spam in it. no difference in my opinion. do what i do, toss it from yer inbox, morons. if its a legit business then it should be allowed to send emails advertising their stuff. imagine owning a small business and getting sued by that twit for billions. the judge in that case needs a lesson in economics. silly silly silly, just like the idiot patent laws for internet. like a single and double mouse click is patentable. gimme a break. smile, your on a webcam :)

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seccarl

,mumbai, on Jan 07, 2006 12:12 PM

Who is going to prevent spammer McCalla from accessing the internet for 3 years?

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killsSpammers

,Toronto, on Jan 09, 2006 02:02 AM

Law i prohibitng him to use internet! thare will be no fisical prevention. but if does access internet ther will be another billion addes to his death penalty! it up to him now! He is economicaly dead! some jail time too ! He asked for it. there will be more to come soon . One bu one...

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ruby83

,PJ, on Jan 08, 2006 08:13 PM

hmmm ... i thought spammers work anonymously. how did they (isp) managed to tracked them down?

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Frosty

,Edmonton, AB, on Jan 08, 2006 02:00 PM

How is this guy supposed to pay a fine like that? Unreal! Hope he made LOTS of $$$ with those spams.

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Ashok CP

,Chennai., on Jan 08, 2006 12:49 PM

Spammers only are punished? What about telemarketing callers with unsolicited calls?