Holland: Spammer fined 75,000 euro

AMSTERDAM – Telecom market regulator Opta imposed a 75,000-euro fine on a Dutch spammer. The man sent at least 9 billion e-mails containing advertising material and earned at least US $ 52,000 in the process. Opta tracked the man down after a tip from US software company Microsoft. The man, a resident of Noord-Holland, rented computers in the US to send the spam. The e-mails included advertisements for Viagra and pornographic websites. This is the highest fine Opta has ever imposed on a spammer. The regulator says that it was an aggravating factor that the man used the computers of innocent people to send the spam. Sending unsolicited e-mail to private persons has been banned since 19 May 2004. Opta is currently aiming to nail another four spammers. The Noord-Holland resident was the 13th person to be fined for sending spam.// Copyright Expatica + ANP 2007