EarthLink Sues PeoplePC Spammers

An EarthLink investigation found two US citizens guilty of mass mailing undesired e-mail messages from PeoplePC accounts. If the charges are confirmed, they could be jailed.

The two men, Jared C and Mohammed H, have allegedly dispatched over 25,000 e-mails using registered accounts of EarthLink subsidiary PeoplePC. US ISP EarthLink has announced arrests of the fraudsters charging them of violating the Can-Spam Act of the State of Florida.

The sentencing is scheduled for November 16, 2006. The two could be jailed for three years and fined up to $250,000.

The junk e-mails originated from Miami that were sent through 10 PeoplePC accounts by the spammers. The subject headers were phrased as: "I'm finally back home" and "I just got back in town" and had messages marketed herbal supplements.

Lindsey Wegrzyn, security enforcement advisor of EarthLink's operations assured that they will deal harshly with the spammers who set up PeoplePC accounts to send spam only. EarthLink was entrusted to crack down any abuse of its networks. It appreciated the 'South Florida Attorney General's Office' and 'Miami FBI' for helping to break down the spamming event.

EarthLink Inc.'s alert to FBI about thousands of unsolicited e-mails sent through EarthLink's network triggered off the investigation in November 2005. Earthlink's assistance helped FBI agents to trace the source of these e-mails to a computer in a flat in 'Plantation' where Jared C and Mohammed H lived. Further investigations revealed that the e-mails were sent through PeoplePC accounts emerging from Miami. FBI then issued a search warrant that led to the arrest of the spammers.

Appreciating the support of EarthLink's 'fraud and abuse' team, David Rowland, vice-president and general manager of PeoplePC said that the help enabled PeoplePC to deliver high-quality, valuable Internet service. The help to catch spammers who sent numerous e-mails through PeoplePC accounts has made possible a hassle-free Internet experience for 1.4 million members of PeoplePC.

EarthLink carries on with the tough attitude towards spammers. It has litigated hundreds of fraudsters and won over $200 million in judgments. That also includes the latest conviction against the two spammers who were imprisoned for their crimes.

Related article: EarthLink Redirect System Opening Opportunity to Hackers

» SPAMfighter News - 10/11/2006