blckyboy
Newbie
- Jan 22, 2008
- 48
- 127
Hi Dudes an Dudettes
This is what is happening Down Under.
A Sunshine Coast man could face multi-million-dollar fines if he is found to have contravened Australia's internet spamming laws.
Twenty-six-year-old Lance Atkinson from Pelican Waters on Queensland's Sunshine Coast is allegedly at the centre of the world's largest internet spam operation, dubbed Herbal King.
He is currently facing legal action in New Zealand and the United States for peddling prescription drugs and bogus male enhancement products around the world through billions of illegal spam emails.
Australia's internet regulator, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) says it can't confirm nor deny that Herbal King is currently the subject of an investigation in Australia, but a spokesman says ACMA has been very active in assisting U-S and New Zealand regulators in their investigations.
Two years ago a Western Australian company was ordered to pay $4.5 million for contravening the Spam Act 2003.
Keith Manch from New Zealand's Internal Affairs Department says the penalties depend on how the spamming is viewed by authorities.
"The actions of these people have been in contravention of the Unsolicited Electronic Messages Act in New Zealand," he said.
"The Federal Trade Commission in the US ... it's action focused much more on the nature of the products from a consumer protection perspective, whereas we focused much more on the spamming activity," Mr Manch said.
He says Mr Atkinson is facing a fine of about $200,000 and has been given 30 days to file a statement of defence to New Zealand's High Court.
The US Federal Trade Commission has also taken legal action against Mr Atkinson in the US District Court and frozen his assets.
This is what is happening Down Under.
A Sunshine Coast man could face multi-million-dollar fines if he is found to have contravened Australia's internet spamming laws.
Twenty-six-year-old Lance Atkinson from Pelican Waters on Queensland's Sunshine Coast is allegedly at the centre of the world's largest internet spam operation, dubbed Herbal King.
He is currently facing legal action in New Zealand and the United States for peddling prescription drugs and bogus male enhancement products around the world through billions of illegal spam emails.
Australia's internet regulator, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) says it can't confirm nor deny that Herbal King is currently the subject of an investigation in Australia, but a spokesman says ACMA has been very active in assisting U-S and New Zealand regulators in their investigations.
Two years ago a Western Australian company was ordered to pay $4.5 million for contravening the Spam Act 2003.
Keith Manch from New Zealand's Internal Affairs Department says the penalties depend on how the spamming is viewed by authorities.
"The actions of these people have been in contravention of the Unsolicited Electronic Messages Act in New Zealand," he said.
"The Federal Trade Commission in the US ... it's action focused much more on the nature of the products from a consumer protection perspective, whereas we focused much more on the spamming activity," Mr Manch said.
He says Mr Atkinson is facing a fine of about $200,000 and has been given 30 days to file a statement of defence to New Zealand's High Court.
The US Federal Trade Commission has also taken legal action against Mr Atkinson in the US District Court and frozen his assets.
