"Buffalo Spammer" Gets 3.5 to 7 Years 671
jfruhlinger writes "Howard Carmak, aka the 'Buffalo spammer,' has been sentenced to jail time for his spamming activities. Interestingly, the conviction was not for spamming per se, but rather stealing someone's identity, which he then used to launch his spam messages."
Bravo everyone! We all had a part in this. (Score:5, Interesting)
These days, it's a truth that most spammers have to break other laws to try to get their spam out. It's not like the old days of open relays and a trusting email network. Now, we have worm exploits, stolen identities, account phishing, hacked boxes...the list goes on and on.
We can pat ourselves on the back here, I think. Now that we're as a community becoming aware of the spam problem and doing something about it (like closing down open relays and blocking those who don't), spammers now have to break other laws to get their crap through.
And that makes them targets for prosecution. So, let's all give ourselves a round of applause here. If you closed an open relay, or wiped out a worm, you contributed to this!
Let's all keep up the good work.
Weaselmancer
Free as in speach... (Score:4, Interesting)
That's because as of yet there are no laws against sending email. One person's spam is another's free speach.
One down... (Score:5, Interesting)
"The Register of Known Spam Operations (ROKSO) [spamhaus.org] database collates information and evidence on known hard-line spam operations that have been terminated by a minimum of 3 consecutive Service Providers for serious spam offenses.
200 Known Spam Operations responsible for 90% of your spam.
90% of spam received by Internet users in North America and Europe can be traced via redirects, hosting locations of web sites, domains and aliases, to a hard-core group of around 200 known spam operations, almost all of whom are listed in the ROKSO database. These spam operations consist of an estimated 500-600 professional spammers loosely grouped into gangs ("spam gangs"), the vast majority of whom are operating illegally, and who move from network to network seeking out Internet Service Providers ("ISPs") known for lax enforcing of anti-spam policies."
nabbing the scum bag (Score:3, Interesting)
This announcement does my heart good. Howard Carmak got his due for his actions though not directly just like Al Capone received a sentence for U.S. tax evasion instead of murder, racketeering etc.
When a person is a scum bag in one area this trait seems to wash over into other facets of their lives.
As Long As We're At It... (Score:3, Interesting)
Can we please execute him too? [slashdot.org]
In all seriousness, we need to have some sort of crackdown on spam. The levels of pure crap are increasing faster than even a combination of SpamAssassin and Thunderbird's Bayesian filtering can catch up with.
Throwing slimebags like Carmak and Alan Ralsky in jail for a few years might help reduce the spam levels. While the servers may be in China, the ones running these large spam operations are right here in the US. It won't stop spam, but it will at least reduce the flow.
nerd crime (Score:3, Interesting)
spammer guy: b-b-but Im a marketer!
thug #1: shuddup you in my world tubby!
thug #2: whoo! fresh meat!
Setting a precident? (Score:3, Interesting)
While the crime is not entirely related to spamming, it shows that local law enforcement is getting "clever" with its prosecution, in the same way federal authorities, when unable to get felony convictions like murder against organized crime bosses turned to tax evasion and fraud.
Interesting.
Hmmmm.... identity theft... (Score:4, Interesting)
And - more to the point - if not, could the law be construed that way? In other words, can we prosecute spammers for impersonating customers of fooISP by using their zombied boxes to spam?
Just a thought.
Re:Good... (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:3.5-7 Seems a little light (Score:1, Interesting)
Want a house? Too bad. Already own a house? Not any more! Want a car? Too bad, etc, etc, etc.
See how the criminal likes not having any credit and having to buy things outright with cash all the time.
Putting the prick in jail just gives him a free ride for 7 years.
Tom
Re:3.5-7 Seems a little light (Score:5, Interesting)
It looks like he got fined as well as jailtime. Good thing, because he probably made enough to live the rest of his life on.
1. Spam.
2. Profit.
3. If you're unlucky (probably less than 1% of spammers), get locked up for 4 years.
4. Retire to a mansion on the beach.
Sounds like a good deal to me.
Re:They also need to prosecute... (Score:3, Interesting)
Hell, let Bayer sue spammers for infingement on Cialis.
I think that inaction on the spammer trademark front shows which corporate interests are behind at least part of our spam and virus/worm problems.