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fancy a free porsche? the catch is you have to be an AOL member
America Online Inc. is holding a contest that will hand over the keys to a 2002 Porsche Boxster S convertible seized from a spammer caught with the help of AOL members.
In an announcement today, the Dulles, Va.-based Internet service provider said the car will be given away to an AOL member in a random drawing April 9. Only AOL members as of yesterday are eligible.
The automobile, bought with profits from the spammer's operation, was received in a settlement with the spammer, according to AOL. The spammer, whose identity is being withheld, was the subject of one of five lawsuits filed by the company in federal court last April against dozens of individuals and corporations accused of sending unsolicited commercial e-mail to AOL members.
Nicholas Graham, an AOL spokesman, said the lawsuit was filed in advance of a Virginia antispam statute, enacted on July 1, 2003, that empowers state law enforcement officials to seize a spammer's assets. AOL said it took ownership of the Porsche after winning its civil lawsuit against the spammer last year.
"Generally speaking, we can seize as part of a settlement any combination that is appropriate" in cash or assets from a spammer, Graham said.
AOL members helped provide information on who sent the spam by using a "Report Spam" button on AOL.
"AOL has always placed our members in the driver's seat when it comes to spam fighting, and now we are going to put one of our members in the driver's seat of a spammer's sports car," Randall Boe, AOL's general counsel, said in a statement. "We see this as a great way to teach spammers a lesson.
"We're striking back at spammers and aim to take away everything they acquired through profits made from spam," Boe said. "That means taking away their spam tools -- such as computers, routers, servers and other equipment, and their spam toys, including their houses, their boats and their cars."
In an announcement today, the Dulles, Va.-based Internet service provider said the car will be given away to an AOL member in a random drawing April 9. Only AOL members as of yesterday are eligible.
The automobile, bought with profits from the spammer's operation, was received in a settlement with the spammer, according to AOL. The spammer, whose identity is being withheld, was the subject of one of five lawsuits filed by the company in federal court last April against dozens of individuals and corporations accused of sending unsolicited commercial e-mail to AOL members.
Nicholas Graham, an AOL spokesman, said the lawsuit was filed in advance of a Virginia antispam statute, enacted on July 1, 2003, that empowers state law enforcement officials to seize a spammer's assets. AOL said it took ownership of the Porsche after winning its civil lawsuit against the spammer last year.
"Generally speaking, we can seize as part of a settlement any combination that is appropriate" in cash or assets from a spammer, Graham said.
AOL members helped provide information on who sent the spam by using a "Report Spam" button on AOL.
"AOL has always placed our members in the driver's seat when it comes to spam fighting, and now we are going to put one of our members in the driver's seat of a spammer's sports car," Randall Boe, AOL's general counsel, said in a statement. "We see this as a great way to teach spammers a lesson.
"We're striking back at spammers and aim to take away everything they acquired through profits made from spam," Boe said. "That means taking away their spam tools -- such as computers, routers, servers and other equipment, and their spam toys, including their houses, their boats and their cars."
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