FTC Shuts Down Major Spammers

The FTC has shut down a major international network that's estimated to be responsible for one-third of all spam.

The Federal Trade Commission claims to have shut down the world’s largest spam network, one which is estimated to be responsible for one-third of all spam sent, according to Vnunet.

The global network, which has offices in Australia, New Zealand, China, India, Russia, Canada, and the United States has been responsible for billions of spam messages and had generated over three million complaints.

The FTC named two people and the companies they control as being behind the network. They’re Lance Atkinson, a New Zealander based in Australia, and Texan Jody Smith. In a statement the FTC said:

“The defendants used spam e-mail to sell prescription drugs.”

“They claimed that the medications came from a bona fide, U.S.-licensed pharmacy that dispenses FDA-approved generic versions of drugs such as Levitra, Avodart, Cialis, Propecia, Viagra, Lipitor, Celebrex, and Zoloft. In fact, the defendants do not operate a US-licensed pharmacy. They sell drugs that are shipped from India.”

They additionally pushed a male enhancement pill that was herbal, but in tests proved to be unsafe.