ACMA - Australians Filed 3,947 Spam Complaints in 2008-09

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) commissioned a news poll study entitled "The Survey into Community Attitudes to Unsolicited Communications" and said -there are some interesting facts regarding Australians as well as their perception of Internet safety.

The study discovers that almost two in five (or 39%) of Aussies owning an e-mail account do not know whom to consult for informing junk or spam mails and similar SMS, while about 47% of Australians aren't sure about the place where they can complain regarding unsolicited telemarketing calls.

The figures indicate that Australian consumers in general are combating bank scams, cheap sex related spam, devious lottery reward junk e-mails, and other uninvited proposals arriving in the form of unsolicited e-mails. In fact, there were a remarkable 3,947 reports of spam incidences to the ACMA during 2008-09.

2008-09 Annual Report of ACMA reveals - the percentage of complaints jumped 31% during 2008. Spam e-mails complaints dominated with a total of 2,955 complaints, accounting for a 21% rise.

The ACMA states that since the introduction of the Spam Act 2003, it has got as many as 11,060 complaints.

Remarking about the survey's discoveries, Chris Chapman, Chairman of ACMA, said that although people were strongly aware of unsolicited e-mails and telemarketing calls, filing related complaints weren't equally strong, as reported by Theaustralian on October 21, 2009.

Chapman added that during 2009, the ACMA took several measures for increasing consumer awareness and protection from fake e-mails or spam. To continue implementing the Act, it issued 7 violation notices during 2008-09, valuing up to $376,200.

Chapman added that the easiest way for filing a spam grievance was to contact the Ant-Spam Team of ACMA at 1300-855-180, or visit www.spam.acma.gov.au and follow its relevant links, as reported by Acma on October 13, 2009.

Thus, the study's findings reveal that while the spamming activities are increasing worldwide, there is also an increase in awareness like in Australia where people take help from the ACMA. Moreover, spammers incessantly sending spam messages to innocent netizens have also been charged within the purview of the Spam Act 2003.

Related article: ACMA Unleashes SpamMATTERS - the New anti-spam Button

» SPAMfighter News - 10/31/2009