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Spammer's Porsche Up For Grabs

Posted by timothy on from the please-go-with-the-house-ideas dept.

gaurab writes "Anti-Spammers would love this. In this news piece, the BBC reports that AOL is putting up a Porsche it seized from a spammer last year in a sweepstakes. What next -- 'Spammer's House' in another sweepstakes? Is this the sign of things to come? From the story: 'Internet giant AOL has ratcheted up the war against unsolicited e-mail with a publicity-grabbing coup -- an online raffle of a spammer's seized Porsche. AOL won the car -- a $47,000 Boxster S -- as part of a court settlement against an unnamed e-mailer last year.'"

15 of 232 comments (clear)

  1. Does it come with a CD Multiplayer? by Claws+Of+Doom · · Score: 5, Funny

    And any guesses what they'll fill it with?

  2. What about the registration plate by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Do you have to keep SPMNG CNT, or are you allowed to change it?

  3. Re:hmm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Who cares, I'm already planning my customized license plate for it: INBOXSTR

    It just works on so many levels.

  4. Better News: by hplasm · · Score: 5, Funny

    Spammer's Balls Up For Grabs

    --
    ...and he grinned, like a fox eating shit out of a wire brush.
  5. I can see it already in my inbox... by mrselfdestrukt · · Score: 5, Funny

    Order v14gra now and get chance to win a p0r5che b0xt3r from A07.

    --
    "I used to have that really cool,funny sig ,but it got stolen."
  6. Funny... by hookedup · · Score: 5, Funny


    Seems this spammer bought one of the most expensive penis enhancement products you can get..

  7. Wait... by ForestGrump · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Aol goes after other spammers, but doesn't AOL spam its own customers?

    I remember using AOL in years past and they would throw crap at you telling you to BUY THIS and THIS every time you logged into an AOL account.

    -Grump

    --
    Is it true that more people vote for the winner of American Idol, than vote for the president? -Ali G.
  8. aol hates spam?! by hugzz · · Score: 5, Insightful

    when can i take the CEO of AOL's car for all those damn CDs they send me?

  9. Promo for this competition... by irokie · · Score: 5, Funny

    Hi Sam,
    youu may already have w0n b1g!!!
    genuinne P0RSCHE!

    click here to seee how to claim your pr1ze http://www.23fwdnvsoadaldsd%3ejdbf.com/

    Love,
    Sam

    xcoiifidnbbibobdoodofn---

    --
    and if you see me strut, remind me of what left this outlaw torn...
  10. So next week by redcaboodle · · Score: 5, Funny

    the RIAA auctions P2P users iPods?

    --
    -- Put crudely, the world is an extremely large problem instance. (Russel/Norvig Artificial Intelligence)
  11. Why the Porsche? by peterdaly · · Score: 5, Insightful

    My initial thought was since when can a private company seize private property? It seems they got it as part of a deal with the government...but that being said, why a $40k Porsche? It's said this guy made over $1M.

    Mr Boe said the Porsche was seized mainly for its symbolic value, as the obvious fruit of an illegal trade.

    Makes sense, and it's a great idea. Getting hundreds of thousands of dollars does not make an attention getting headline, and not have made slashdot. Taking his Porsche, now that's a headline grabber.

    AOL is known for being marketing savy, and that's what this is about.

    -Pete

    --
    Soccer Goal Plans
    1. Re:Why the Porsche? by sjlutz · · Score: 5, Informative

      IANAL, but my roommate is. The Porsche was probably part of the liquidation of assets. If they guy didn't have enough hard cash to pay the settlement/award to AOL, AOL can then start liquidating his assets to get all the money they were awarded. I don't know who gets to choice which particular assets get "disposed" of, but I guess AOL worked with the government to just keep the Porsche as a Porsche and not convert it into cash. The spammer probably made out on the deal also, as I believe the cost of turning assets back to cash would have been charged to the spammer. So instead of converted the $40K Porcshe into $30K cash or whatever someone would have bought it for minus the cost of selling it, the spammer probably got the full 'value' out of it.

  12. wrong message by Cardinal+Biggles · · Score: 5, Insightful

    So what AOL is telling people is... Spammers have Porsches! Spamming => money!

    My next question as a newbie would be: so how do I become a spammer? Where do I apply & when can I start?

  13. Re:Funny, but it makes an interesting point by fredrikj · · Score: 5, Funny

    the ex -executive branch of Enron, the CEO of SCO, Hitler, Stalin, Amelia Marcos, the list goes on

    Hitler really doesn't deserve being listed next to McBride. Don't be such a troll.

  14. so does it come equiped with... by clarkc3 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Does the porsche come equiped with AOL's top speed technology?