Skip to navigation

PCPro-Computing in the Real World Printed from www.pcpro.co.uk

Register to receive our regular email newsletter at http://www.pcpro.co.uk/registration.

The newsletter contains links to our latest PC news, product reviews, features and how-to guides, plus special offers and competitions.

Latest News

Facebook spammer hit with record judgement

Posted on 25 Nov 2008 at 14:37

Facebook has won a record $873m settlement against a Canadian spammer who bombarded its users with "sexually explicit" messages.

The ruling by US district court Judge Jeremy Fogel, found that Adam Guerbuez used phishing techniques to illegally obtain login details to Facebook profiles.

He then used these profiles to send four million spam messages to Facebook users advertising drugs and male enhancement pills. Guerbuez failed to show for the hearing, and has had an injunction filed against him preventing him from using Facebook in the future.

The ruling is the highest ever awarded under the US's CAN-SPAM Act, created specifically to fight spammers such as Guerbuez. However, Facebook is realistic about its chances of collecting its winnings.

"Does Facebook expect to quickly collect $873 million and share the proceeds in some way with our users? Alas, no," says Max Kelly, Facebook's director of security on his blog.

"It's unlikely that Geurbez and Atlantis Blue Capital could ever honor the judgment rendered against them (though we will certainly collect everything we can). But we are confident that this award represents a powerful deterrent to anyone and everyone who would seek to abuse Facebook and its users."

The ruling follows the $234 million awarded to MySpace against notorious spammer Sanford Wallace

Author: Stuart Turton

Be the first to comment this article

You need to Login or Register to comment.

(optional)

advertisement

Most Commented News Stories
Latest Blog Posts Subscribe to our RSS Feeds
Latest Reviews Subscribe to our RSS Feeds
Latest Real World Computing

advertisement

Sponsored Links
 
SEARCH
SIGN UP

Your email:

Your password:

remember me

advertisement


Hitwise Top 10 Website 2008