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Aussie Spammer Faces Millions in Fines

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the big-bills dept.

An anonymous reader writes "An alleged Australian spammer could face millions in fines if he's found guilty of breaking the country's anti-spam laws, reports ZDNet. The Australian Communications Authority alleges that Wayne Mansfield and his company, Clarity 1, sent at least 56 million commercial e-mails in the 12 months after the Spam Act was enacted in April 2004."

4 of 173 comments (clear)

  1. Watershed case by The_Mystic_For_Real · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This case will demonstrate to the international community that spam laws work if this case succeeds, otherwise, it will provide a reason to stop legislation on spam and possibly illustrate the futility of enforcing laws on the web. It's sort of a win-win situation.

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    Thank you.

    1. Re:Watershed case by Kaorimoch · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I think it demonstrates that spammers who actually spam in countries that enforce their anti-spam laws are idiots. If I were an antispammer, I'm sure I'd have my spamming servers in Russia and merely link to them through my Australian broadband connection via a encrypted tunnel network (or something like that). I'd also have my money going through Swiss banks and Cayman Island arrangements to obfuscate its source and destination and send it back to Australia in amounts under $10,000 to avoid scrutiny as finance loans. But hey, most spammers are stupid aren't they?

  2. Each step by BCW2 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Every one of these clowns that gets taken down is a step in the right direction. Large fines and lots of press will start an intimidation factor that will slow new people from replacing the ones taken out. Each time it happens in a different country it means fewer places to hide.

    Of course just tieing them all to trees upside down and feeding them Ex-Lax for a week would be a more fitting punishment.

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    Professional Politicians are not the solution, they ARE the problem.
  3. partners in crime? by scarish · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Wouldn't it be worth to also know which businesses hired/paid money to this man's marketing company to carry out such unsoliciated marketing campaign.....I reckon those businesses which paid for such services must also be prosecuted......much like when you are prosecuted when you pay someone for carrying out an act of crime (eg: murder)