Hotmail Sues Spammers

Hotmail filed suit in federal court against eight alleged spammers, claiming that they forged Hotmail’s domain name into the return addresses of unsolicited commercial and offensive email messages.

Hotmail said it has a strict anti-spam policy and is a participant in numerous anti-spam efforts, including the Center for Democracy & Technology’s monthly ad-hoc meetings in Washington, DC, advising the FTC on the issue.

Forged return addresses (found in the header of the email message) disguise the originator’s identity and redirect any angry responses to the unknowing service provider.

Hotmail, recently acquired by Microsoft, alleged trademark infringement and dilution, unfair competition, violations of the federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, as well as fraud and libel. The suit seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.

Defendants are Van$ Money Pie, ALS Enterprises, Inc., LCGM, Inc., Christopher Moss d/b/a Genesis Network, Claremont Holdings Ltd., Consumer Connections (Charlotte, NC), Palmer & Associates (San Diego), and Financial Research Group (El Cajon, CA). The action, filed in United States District Court for the Northern District of California, San Jose Division, also asks the court for a preliminary and permanent injunction against the alleged spammers.