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Telecoms Regulator in Netherlands Charges Spammer a Hefty Fine

According to a statement given by OPTA the telecommunications regulator in the Netherlands on July 27, 2009, Reinier Schenkhuizen, a software maker and proprietor of Serinco Benelux in Alphen aan de Rijn close by The Hague (Netherlands), has to pay Euros 250,000 ($355,674) in fines because he dispatched over 21 Million spam mails, as reported by EarthTimes on July 27, 2009.

The OPTA ordered Schenkhuizen to deposit Euros 5,000 per extra day if he keeps on sending the junk e-mails.

The reports state that OPTA initially warned Schenkhuizen that he violated the anti-spam act of 2004 back in 2004, but there were an additional 379 complaints against him.

During 2007, the telecommunications regulator took away clues that emerged from a search at Schenkhuizen's residence. The watchdog recently obtained further information regarding the spamming activities of Serinco Benelux.

Nonetheless, Schenkhuizen refuted the accusation that 21 Million spam messages had been sent from his company and stated that he would make an appeal for justice. Schenkhuizen also stated that OPTA did not realize that every electronic mail his company sent to his client automatically included certain information about Serinco Benelux.

The reports maintain that the Dutch government has banned the dispatch of unsolicited e-mails whether for advertising or anything else to private persons in the country since May 19 2004. Since the time the ban came into effect, the telecommunications regulator launched a special online site namely www.spamklacht.nl to provide details of the ban.

Commenting on the incident, Internet security specialists stated that it was indeed encouraging that a strong action has been taken to rein spam. Evidently some statistics indicate that spam accounts for about 80% of the global e-mail, causing energy wastage of approximately 33 Billion kWh annually that could have powered 2.1 Million homes in America. Further, annual loss for each employee due to spam is estimated much beyond $800, the statistics reveal.

In February 2007, the OPTA charged another Dutch spammer with Euros 75,000 in fines because he privately distributed numerous spam mails to people, promoting sex products, erection enhancement drugs and pornographic websites amongst others.

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