South African ISP Charged with Enormous Fine Following Spam Activity

A South Africa (SA)-based ISP was recently charged with an enormous fine because it sent spam mails into the accounts of one private individual. The entity issuing the fine was ISPA (Internet Service Providers' Association) an online regulatory body running on a non-profit basis in the country, published news24.com, July 14, 2015.

According to a ruling from ISPA, it was especially disturbing that an internet service provider itself behaved in such an unacceptable manner. News24.com reported this.

The private individual, Frank Coetzee realized he couldn't anymore allow the renowned ISP, iSAT (Internet Service and Technologies) to dispatch him spam mails that promoted sale of its Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line facility. Consequently, he complained to ISPA on May 22, 2015, published news24.com.

According to Coetzee, he owns a few dozen electronic mail A/Cs of which, three certainly had been enlisted for the spam.

ISPA ordered iSAT towards paying R10,000 in fine because it sent a junk e-mail to Coetzee the complainant. The Association also cautioned iSAT because it didn't do anything to resolve Coetzee's problem as also because he didn't cooperate with the Association.

However, Rory Pearton CEO of iSAT adamantly stated that his company wouldn't deposit the fine as well as that it didn't act properly towards threats either. Techcentral.co.za reported this, July 14, 2015.

Actually, in his statement, Pearton was citing a R50,000 more payment his company would've had to make incase the spam continued.

According to him, it was marketing e-mail that iSAT was distributing for its new product, therefore, the company could keep dispatching those e-mails so long as the option to unsubscribe wasn't issued.

Pearton stated that iSAT discontinued membership from ISPA following the ruling because he felt an unfair treatment was done towards the company.

He said no ISPA representative met iSAT alternatively offered for holding a meeting. It was useless submitting a membership subscription month after month to any organization which subsequently bullied the member, while behaved like a judge, panel of judges, and an executioner. Naturally, doubts had emerged regarding whether ISPA was impartial. It was quite known that more than necessary bureaucracy entered into SA's business, Pearton added.

» SPAMfighter News - 7/24/2015