Apus Corp Gets Word of Warning from ACMA

Apus Corporation, a Sydney-based computer supplier, recently received a formal word of warning from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) for posting marketing emails, considered as spam, without the addressees' permission, arnnet reported on September 28, 2011.

The ACMA, an Australian government agency which regulates the country's Internet content standards, warned Apus that it has violated the Spam Act. The Act states that without the consent of the recipient, the marketing emails cannot be sent, and these posts must also include the ways by which the customers can unsubscribe from such messages.

However, Apus Operations Manager Ryan Cheng, in a statement published by crn on September 28, 2011, attributed the spam to a system malfunction. He said all this happened when the technical team was changing and copying the customer database from old to new server. Few customers suffered as the (un)subscribe button was not working due to technical issues, he added.

The Company has learnt a lesson and it expects that the ACMA will receive no more complaints from unsatisfied customers, he further said.

On the other hand, ACMA spam compliance division head Julia Cornwell McKean, in a statement published by the computerworld, said the Apus has continued to send out marketing messages, despite receiving requests from the customers for unsubscribing.

One man received 24 marketing messages during December 2010-February 2011, despite ACMA's requests to discontinue such emails, she said, adding that the authority had received complaints against the company over several years which had ultimately resulted into the investigation.

The ACMA first received complaints about Apus in 2009. The marketing emails always promoted the company's products and services, she asserted. McKean also pointed out that the decision to investigate the firm was taken seriously as the ACMA always wants the companies to conform to laws voluntarily.

The Authority wants the industry to learn from its own mistakes and that is why it has launched a campaign, `Successful e-marketing, it's about reputation' in July (2011), she concluded.

However, while explaining the matter, the spokesman of the Authority drew attention towards the consequence of such initial warnings. Actually, such warnings are provided with an intention to accustom about the existence of such concerns in organizations. He further commented that the reputation of Apus will not hamper too much due to such warnings, rather other industries will become cautious from committing such blunders in future, reports CRN Tech on September 28, 2011.

Related article: APACS Reports phishing On The Rise

» SPAMfighter News - 10/6/2011