Is your Spam Box Lighter today? Here’s Why…

If your spam box feels a little lighter today, now you’ll know why. One of the top spammers in the world was recently arrested. He was listed as one of the top 10 spammers in the entire world! I wonder what it takes to make it to that list, or what it feels like to know that you’re on the list! In the Tech World, it’s probably equivalent to being on the FBI’s list of most wanted fugitives. Not good.
Tim Cranton, a Microsoft lawyer was quoted as saying “He’s a huge problem for our customers. This is a very good day.” Robert Soloway will face charges of mail fraud, wire fraud, email fraud, aggravated identify theft and money laundering. And apparently his spamming business has done well. According to the Associated Press, he’s been driving a Mercedes convertible, living in a “ritzy” apartment in Seattle, and now he’s expected to forfeit $773,000 dollars that he apparently made from his “business.”
What’s also interesting is that he’s previously faced Microsoft. Microsoft won a $7 million judgment against him just two years ago. Additionally, an ISP in Oklahoma won a $10 million judgment against him. Despite this, he still didn’t stop. Now he faces a Federal Court, and hopefully some jail time for what he’s done. Fraud is no laughing matter.
All I can say is Hallelujah! Any decrease in the amount of junk mail I receive is never a bad thing. ;D :wink:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Soloway

Finally, maybe the spam load will decrease

Hi .: Mac :.,

Well this is not very likely, because in a technical sense and with the aid of artificial intelligenge the spammers are way ahead of spamfilter defense. Without a real breakthrough in a.i. or zero-tolerance for spammers, the end of “the war against spam” is not in sight.

http://www.forrester.com/Research/Document/Excerpt/0,7211,42351,00.html

Naturally there are ways to bring any spammer to his knees, as the so-called hacker “braatolizer” initiatives showed in the past, but as long as authorities are not willing to undercut the spammers possibilities in such a way that they are begging to leave them alone, not a lot will change really. I think it is a condoned situation because it is so beneficial to some partties, ergo: money speaks, and spam is…

polonus