Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Telco Spams and Gets Huge Fine

Posted by samzenpus on from the can-you-spam-me-now dept.

jack_call writes "According to The Register the large German based mobilephone operator 'Debitel' was fined $359000 for (deliberately!) sending a total 48000 spam messages( mail: 36000, sms: 12000) to Danish costumers of rival company 'Telmore'. According to different Danish media outlets, they appealed immediately, mostly because the fine comes out at about a sixth of what 'Debitel' made last fiscal year after taxes."

12 of 190 comments (clear)

  1. Competition? by Seumas · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Why would a telco consider a costumer to be competition?!

  2. 1/6 is 5/6 too few by BortQ · · Score: 3, Insightful
    They should be forced to pay through their noses. The fact that they make good money is no reason to fine them less.

    And I say put the money towards going after more spammers. Build up the momentum these cases provide.

    --

    A Multiplayer Strategy Game for Mac OS X, Windows, and Linux
    1. Re:1/6 is 5/6 too few by halleluja · · Score: 2, Insightful

      A Multiplayer Strategy Game [sillysoft.net] for Mac OS X, Windows, and Linux

      Look who's spamming II, silly

    2. Re:1/6 is 5/6 too few by 16K+Ram+Pack · · Score: 5, Insightful
      And going to prison for shoplifting a $1 item may incur a very serious fine, a criminal record and possibly prison.

      Companies should get a simple message - break the law and there will be serious penalties, not some small slap on the wrist that means that you can almost cost it in as an acceptable and calculable risk.

  3. Telesales by flumps · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Now if the concept could be extended to telesales, my sanity levels would definately be returned to normal.

    Not a single day goes by when I'm not phoned up by some mechanical phonedialer/call centre and asked if I'd like to buy double glazing/dial a premium line/order jam. Arrrgh!!

    And don't tell me to go ex-directory. I want my friends to find me in the phonebook if they need to thanks.

    --
    "So there he is, risen from the dead. Like that fella, E. T." - Father Ted Crilly
  4. Good. by jpiggot · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Sweet God, but this is wonderful news that they've been fined...

    I live in fear of this happening on a large scale in the United States. In a country where we pay (at this point) for incoming calls, I'm just waiting for the deluge of spam messages and telemarketer phone calls to appear on my cellular phone.

    I own a small business, and our fax machine has virtually been made useless by the junk faxes we get every month. I promise you, we spend more on incoming faxes (ink, paper) than we do on outgoing faxes, none of which we ever "intentionally" signed up for. And the junk-fax companies have the balls to say "we're only making a living" ??? Please.

    Destroy these people before they destroy another technology.

    --
    StupidChildren...the reason jesus is crying
  5. Re:And they got off easy ... by malsdavis · · Score: 4, Insightful

    5 times larger in overall value.

    But I think what was meant was that in terms of per email cost, it is lower than previous spam fines.

  6. Re:Ethics relating to SMS Spamming by tqft · · Score: 2, Insightful

    You do nothing.

    But if some AC was also in the smae carriage and posted the list to /. or emailed the list to some investigative organisation [spamhaus.org ?]. I am sure some good would come of it.

    --
    The Singularity is closer than you think
    Quant
  7. Screw that. by aug24 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Telesales people are annoying dozens of people for every one that is pleased with the call. They know it. They are accepting money for pissing people off. I don't care if the person on the other end needs the money. A hitman would give exactly the same reason!

    Fuck 'em. I don't care if they need the money, they are being paid to waste my time, and I will abuse them, waste their time, annoy them, in whatever way I can. And that includes your mother.

    Justin.

    --
    You're only jealous cos the little penguins are talking to me.
    1. Re:Screw that. by fdiskne1 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Fuck 'em. I don't care if they need the money, they are being paid to waste my time, and I will abuse them, waste their time, annoy them, in whatever way I can

      I always figured it was my job to contribute to the downfall of the telemarketing industry. If I abused someone enough, maybe they would get out of the business. If enough people refused to work in the industry, there would be fewer callers. Just doing my part. I only wish others would do theirs.

      --
      But why is the rum gone?
  8. Re:Accidental by mors · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The SMS'es were send to every single mobile number in Telmores assigned block of mobile phone numbers. That cannot possibly count as accidental.

  9. Re:Ethics relating to SMS Spamming by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

    Oh cut him some slack, we should reward such honesty, which so rarely is shown in our society today.