Security news
Security news12 December 2003
Suspected spamlord charged under anti-spam laws, Sophos comments
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| Jeremy Jaynes is said to live an affluent lifestyle, and is alleged to be the world's eighth most prolific spammer |
In the USA's first case under specific anti-spam laws, two North Carolina men have been indicted in Virginia for four charges of sending forged bulk email. If found guilty of all charges they could face up to 20 years in jail, and fines reaching $10,000.
One of the men, Jeremy Jaynes, is said to use the alias Gaven Stubberfield - Stubberfield has been rated by anti-spam activists as the eighth most prolific spammer in the world.
Jaynes, 29, and his alleged accomplice, Richard Rutowski, are said by Virginia officials to have disguised their identities when sending thousands of emails in July and August 2003. Violating Virginia law their emails are alleged to have used false return addresses and routing information as they advertised low interest mortgages, penny stocks and internet browsing software.
The indictments were returned by grand jury in Loudoun County, Virgina, based on Virginia's state anti-spam law which took effect on 1 July 2003. According to Virginia Attorney General Jerry W Kilgore, the America Online network, headquartered in Loudoun County, was used to send the bulk email.
Investigators claim that Jaynes has an affluent lifestyle, but would not comment on how much income they believe the defendants may have raised by their spam activity.
"Spammers go to great lengths to try and hide their identity - 'hijacking' the computers of innocent third parties, using pseudonyms, and cloaking their point of origin," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant for Sophos. "Anti-spam legislation so far has done little to reduce the amount of spam arriving in the inbox of computer users. But it is beginning to give those who break the law to send spam a few sleepless nights."
Sophos recommends companies protect themselves with a consolidated solution which can defend businesses from the threats of both spam and viruses.
