Crooks Causing Spam Deluge In Australia

Australian Communications & Media Authority (ACMA) has launched an array of investigations in to the probable violation of local anti spamming laws. This came after the authority achieved success in the prosecution of its Perth spammer during 2006.

The authority was following various possible breaches regarding 2003 Spam Act. Since, the unsolicited e-mails' volume continued to go upwards, Bruce Matthews - anti spam team manager with ACMA - divulged in a statement that was published by AUSTRALIAN IT on 20 February 2007.

The suspicious local activities' investigations include one of the previously proclaimed inquiries in to a resident of Australia. The resident had allegedly sent out billions of spam emails to promote the erectile-dysfunction drug "Viagra". As part of its investigation, ACMA had raided a house in September last year (2006).

Spammers use aggressive & sophisticated techniques, thereby making spam protection a front burner issue all over again. From a tool in the hands of annoying marketeers and nuisance hackers, spam has evolved in to a disastrous weapon for criminal enterprises.

Experts believe that most of the spam flooding inboxes throughout the world is sent out by the organized gangs, for example, a group lead by Leo Kuvayev - the notorious spammer from Russia.

Bruce refused to disclose the details about the other investigations of ACMA, however confirmed that various possible violations of Spam Act were being examined by the authority.

There was a continuous rise in the number of unwanted e-mails coming towards Australia from other countries. However, Matthew Sullivan - creator of SORBS' (Spam & Open Relay Blocking System) - estimated spam volume to be 10% up from last year.

International scammers have now become more specific in their activities that include scamming, phishing and schemes of stock market manipulation, Sullivan said.

Russia mobs use bots and spam in extremely precise and targeted spam runs which are typically used for phishing, added he.

Leo Kuvayev - fugitive programmer from Russia - was identified to be the mastermind behind various spam e-mail schemes comprising pump & dump share price publicizing rackets and spam spruiking pharmaceuticals like Viagra.

Related article: Cross Site Scripting and Phishing Flaws in Microsoft IE 7

» SPAMfighter News - 3/2/2007