16 August 2005
AOL Busts Spammer - Then Gives Away Ill-Gotten Profits
AOL Busts Spammer - Then Gives Away Ill-Gotten Profits
Dulles, Virginia - (via THE HOSTING NEWS) - August 10, 2005 - America Online today announced that spam is down more than 85% on the AOL service, and AOL's anti-spam filters are blocking more than 1.4 billion pieces of spam each day, as compared to a high of 2.4 billion messages blocked in a single day in 2003.AOL also announced that it has recovered nearly $100,000 worth of gold bars and cash, as well as a fully-loaded 2003 Hummer H2, from a major spammer that AOL caught with the help of its members.As a reward to AOL members, visitors to AOL.com and web users, the spammers' ill-gotten loot is being given away through the ''AOL Spammer's Gold Sweepstakes'', which starts today. Additionally, the company said it would donate tens of thousands of dollars worth of high-end computer equipment seized from this spammer to local public schools and school systems in Northern Virginia.The gold, cash and the Hummer were seized as part of the first lawsuit filed by AOL under the federal CAN-SPAM Act of 2003, and aided by AOL members who have used the ''Report Spam'' button to help AOL anti-spam, digital detectives investigate and snare one of the country's most prolific spam gangs.In addition to these assets, AOL has also obtained a $13 million judgment in the case against the remaining members of the spam gang.Jon Miller, Chairman and CEO of America Online explained, ''The safety and security of our members is Job No. 1 at AOL, and that means taking aggressive action against spammers and scammers. I am delighted that our efforts are paying off, literally, with the seizure of these assets and the sweepstakes. Today, we're putting the brakes on spammers and celebrating our gold standard spam protections for the AOL service and the AIM Mail product at AOL.com. Our hard work in fighting spam is paying off in another way as well - since November 2003 when spam was at its peak, we've achieved a dramatic and hugely beneficial decline in the amount of spam reaching our members' email boxes.''The company attributes this success to its multi-pronged approach in fighting the scourge of spam, which includes a combination of software tools, filtering technology, public policy, litigation and enforcement, and industry partnership.The Sweepstakes begins August 10 and runs through August 19. AOL members can enter the sweepstakes at AOL Keyword: Spam Sweepstakes; non-members can enter at http://aolhummer.onlinepromo.com. Entrants will have a chance to win daily cash prizes as well as the Grand Prize -- a Hummer H2 and approximately $85,000 in gold bars and cash. Each day throughout the promotion period, participants may gain one additional entry in the Grand Prize drawing and one (1) entry in the daily ''spammer cash'' drawing ($1,000 each day) by returning to the site to answer the special ''AOL Spammer's Gold'' question for that day that focuses on security and safety issues. Those that participate each day throughout the 10-day promotion period will receive an Official AOL Spam Patrol certificate.
Dulles, Virginia - (via THE HOSTING NEWS) - August 10, 2005 - America Online today announced that spam is down more than 85% on the AOL service, and AOL's anti-spam filters are blocking more than 1.4 billion pieces of spam each day, as compared to a high of 2.4 billion messages blocked in a single day in 2003.AOL also announced that it has recovered nearly $100,000 worth of gold bars and cash, as well as a fully-loaded 2003 Hummer H2, from a major spammer that AOL caught with the help of its members.As a reward to AOL members, visitors to AOL.com and web users, the spammers' ill-gotten loot is being given away through the ''AOL Spammer's Gold Sweepstakes'', which starts today. Additionally, the company said it would donate tens of thousands of dollars worth of high-end computer equipment seized from this spammer to local public schools and school systems in Northern Virginia.The gold, cash and the Hummer were seized as part of the first lawsuit filed by AOL under the federal CAN-SPAM Act of 2003, and aided by AOL members who have used the ''Report Spam'' button to help AOL anti-spam, digital detectives investigate and snare one of the country's most prolific spam gangs.In addition to these assets, AOL has also obtained a $13 million judgment in the case against the remaining members of the spam gang.Jon Miller, Chairman and CEO of America Online explained, ''The safety and security of our members is Job No. 1 at AOL, and that means taking aggressive action against spammers and scammers. I am delighted that our efforts are paying off, literally, with the seizure of these assets and the sweepstakes. Today, we're putting the brakes on spammers and celebrating our gold standard spam protections for the AOL service and the AIM Mail product at AOL.com. Our hard work in fighting spam is paying off in another way as well - since November 2003 when spam was at its peak, we've achieved a dramatic and hugely beneficial decline in the amount of spam reaching our members' email boxes.''The company attributes this success to its multi-pronged approach in fighting the scourge of spam, which includes a combination of software tools, filtering technology, public policy, litigation and enforcement, and industry partnership.The Sweepstakes begins August 10 and runs through August 19. AOL members can enter the sweepstakes at AOL Keyword: Spam Sweepstakes; non-members can enter at http://aolhummer.onlinepromo.com. Entrants will have a chance to win daily cash prizes as well as the Grand Prize -- a Hummer H2 and approximately $85,000 in gold bars and cash. Each day throughout the promotion period, participants may gain one additional entry in the Grand Prize drawing and one (1) entry in the daily ''spammer cash'' drawing ($1,000 each day) by returning to the site to answer the special ''AOL Spammer's Gold'' question for that day that focuses on security and safety issues. Those that participate each day throughout the 10-day promotion period will receive an Official AOL Spam Patrol certificate.
# posted by vdodon @ 01:49 
