....and we wonder how spamers get our email addresses... [Archive] - SpeedGuide.net Broadband Community

View Full Version : ....and we wonder how spamers get our email addresses...


RoundEye
06-26-04, 01:06 PM
I'm sure he isn't the first person to do this, he just got caught somehow.

That's 92 MILLION valid email addresses! *********s :mad:

AOL worker arrested for stealing 92 million email addresses
Andy McCue
silicon.com
June 24, 2004
An AOL employee has been arrested for allegedly stealing 92 million customer email addresses and selling them onto spammers.

Jason Smathers, 24, from West Virginia, has been charged with conspiracy, along with his alleged accomplice Sean Dunaway of Las Vegas

It is alleged Smathers stole the email addresses while working at AOL's Dulles offices in Virginia and passed them on to Dunaway, who then sold the list on to other companies sending spam email.

Both face a fine of $250,00 and a maximum jail sentence of five years under the US' anti-spam law.

AOL said it has launched its own review of procedures.

A company statement said: "We deeply regret what has taken place and are thoroughly reviewing and strengthening our internal procedures as a result of this investigation and arrest. We take this very seriously, and we will continue to hold spammers fully accountable for their activities, through our own ongoing civil litigation, as well as further cooperation with authorities in criminal spam prosecutions."

Roody
06-26-04, 01:07 PM
Read about that yesterday. Man, that punk. :mad:

thepieman
06-26-04, 01:12 PM
wonder how much money they paid him? That must have been worth a couple million $ at least.


Pie

mccoffee
06-26-04, 01:13 PM
Round eye where did get that story at i'm going to post it at another forum they would get a hoot out of it..

RoundEye
06-26-04, 01:33 PM
wonder how much money they paid him? That must have been worth a couple million $ at least.


Pie

For an opt-in list it would be worth quite a bit.

Source (http://www.clickz.com/experts/em_mkt/em_mkt/article.php/825991)


Yes, the research can be painstaking but well worth it. As you know, it's not unheard of for dedicated opt-in lists, if targeted properly, to pull click-through rates as high as 15 percent or higher. Sponsorship response rates are usually significantly less (they fall more in the 0.5 to 5 percent range, generally speaking), but they are also quite a bit less expensive. Speaking of costs, dedicated list costs typically range from $200 to $450 per thousand, while sponsorships are priced anywhere from $10 to $150 per thousand and up.

RoundEye
06-26-04, 01:35 PM
Round eye where did get that story at i'm going to post it at another forum they would get a hoot out of it..


From HERE (http://www.silicon.com/research/specialreports/thespamreport/0,39025001,39121665,00.htm?nl=d20040625), but I get it through my email. You may have to subscribe to see the story, not certain though. That's why I copied and pasted it.

Scott
06-26-04, 02:00 PM
I believe he was paid $100,000 for the list. The spammer he sold it to used it, then sold it again for around $34,000 or something.