MS Gets $7 Million From Spammer

pin_gween writes "Reuters UK reports that Microsoft has settled its spam suit against Scott Richter for $7 million. From the article: 'Microsoft and New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer had sued Richter in late 2003, asserting that he had sent, or helped other spammers send, billions of e-mail messages to consumers touting everything from herbal products to loan consolidation schemes.'"

Comments

Hrm

[Anonymous Coward]

Great, where's my cut?

Re:Hrm

[eobanb]

1) write insecure OS
2) spammers create botnets from your OS
3) sue spammers
4) profit!!!

M$ & money...

[Anonymous Coward]

From the article: "The goal remains for us to separate spammers from their money"

Shouldn't that be "everyone" and not "spammers"?

He had $7M to pay the fine?

[ip_freely_2000]

Man oh man, I need to become a spammer. A good day for me is when I have 7 bucks, much less 7 million.

Crime pays, it seems.

quote: separate spammers from their money

[MarkEst1973]

"The goal remains for us to separate spammers from their money," Microsoft general counsel Brad Smith told Reuters

He then added, "We do this by certifying all zombie machines through the Microsoft Genuine Advantage program. Only licensed copies of Windows will be used to send spam."

URGENT ATTENTION REQUIRED

[topgeek]

I too could get $7 million from a spammer, and all I would have to do would be to travel to Nigeria to meet the son of the late former Treasurer who was brutally murdered in a coup.

They should...

[Shads]

... charge spammers $1.00 for each spam they send payable to receipient.

Last tally i'd be getting >2200.00 / day USD. I'd be happy to even click "Mark folder read" for that price.

Ob

[katarac]

What are you going to do with the 7 million, sir?

Oh, just throw it on the pile, I suppose.

I can see it now

[Alcimedes]

I'm sending you this letter because recently Microsoft won a lawsuit against an e-mail spammer that netted a 7 million dollar payout. Since you have received some of this spam, Microsoft would like to send you your portion of the settlement.

Please contact me for your share of 7 million dollars!

Re:I wish they would stop settling

[Taevin]

You can be hung like a horse too, for only $99.95! Click here and order today...

Re:Quick math

[Xenopax]

I love math like this, I wonder what the lost productivity is for using the bathroom.

The problem

[Dark Paladin]

[sarcasm]Remember how when MS was suppose to pay California schools they did it in software?

Yeah. Turns out, this is how this guy is going to pay his bill.

The Good News: MS Campus is about to get all the verbal Viagra and "male enhancement" products they'd ever want!

The Bad News: MS Campus is going to have bigger dicks then ever before....

[/sarcasm]

Re:Notable exception!

[jimicus]

Nevertheless, Richter said that he and his company had changed their e-mailing practices and pledged not to send spam to anyone who has not asked to be sent commercial e-mail.

Well, in that case, it seems the most sensible course of action is:

To: Scott Richter <scott.richter@optinbig.com>
From: jimicus <postmaster@whitepost.org.uk>
Subject: Please stop spamming me!
 
Dear Scott,
 
Please accept this as an instruction to cease sending any form of unsolicited mail to [any address at the domain .... | the following email address ..... ]
 
This instruction overrides any requests to receive email from you, past, present and future.
 
Regards,

I'm sure if only 5% of slashdot readers do this there should be a noticeable effect.

Excellent interview with Scott Richter

[RzUpAnmsCwrds]

Here's an excellent interview with Scott Richter from The Daily Show: Scott Richter Interview (9.9MB, Windows Media)