Microsoft Sues Unknown Spammers to Windows Live HotmailMicrosoft filed a twin lawsuit over the two weeks May-June 2007 in an attempt to unfold spam scams on the Windows Live Hotmail network of the software giant, as per the news published by Macworld on June 24, 2007. The lawsuits named 'John Doe' accused unknown spammers for sending huge volumes of spam mails promoting adult and debt relief websites to several Hotmail accounts. These alleged spammers created a story about some stock prices in the event. They purchased large amounts of cheap stocks and then attempted to artificially raise their value. Microsoft blamed a company called Consumer Solutions Network for sending misleading, spurious and unwanted commercial e-mails to many account holders of Windows Live Hotmail. Macworld published this on June 24, 2007. Microsoft has in addition charged unnamed defendants with spamming mails that encouraged pornographic websites via Hotmail. Microsoft has alleged that these miscreants not only inundated Hotmail accounts by sending unsolicited e-mails, but also distributed the spam messages through Hotmail itself. Microsoft has claimed that the defendants sent illegal messages through accounts they obtained via fraudulent means, as reported by Computerworld Security on June 24, 2007. Microsoft's suit also alleges that the spam used subject titles as "Robert, Payment not received", or "Michelle, accounts over the limit". Microsoft has been filing similar lawsuits almost every month during the previous year. In April & May 2007, it sued several apparent stock scammers. In the latest case Microsoft has acknowledged that about 98 percent of e-mails sent to Hotmail accounts was spam. The company carried out a research to find that between 40-98 percent of e-mails delivered to account holders of Hotmail, now renamed as Windows Live Hotmail, was unwanted or false in nature. Microsoft filed the recent lawsuits in King County SC (Superior Court), Seattle. It filed the Consumer Solutions Network complaint on 13 June 2007. In 2003, Microsoft had filed a spam lawsuit that ended in confusing results. The company continued the case in 2004 and took legal action under the CAN SPAM Act. That suit, however, could not do much to dissuade spammers and their activities, both of which are still prevalent. Related article: Microsoft Patches Live OneCare to Tackle Quarantined E-Mails ยป SPAMfighter News - 7/5/2007 |    |
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