StopScum

What is Spamware?

Software that enables the sending of spam. Slime bags install this software on their Windows machines. Next, the software takes control of remote computers. This enables spammers to use these remote computers which are infected and sometimes called "zombies," as proxy servers to send millions of Spam emails without the computer owners' knowledge. Many viruses like versions of the Sobig, Sober and MyDoom are used to turn remote computers into zombies. This can even let a spammer evade spam blacklists. Their are currently over 300 sites which sell Spamware. In other cases, Spamware uses tricks with proxy servers to send Spam. MCI, Download.com, and SWREG are aware of this action, participate in it's distribution, and together they earn millions of dollars from Spam.

Enabler Number 1

MCI Worldcom (a US Corp) leads the pack and currently hosts (retail or wholesale) 188 sites devoted to either sending Spam or selling the tools that permit others to do this. Click here to read all the details.

What the MCI enabler says

Timothy Vogel, who heads MCI's legal team for technology issues, told the Washington Post that "MCI is only the wholesale provider of the web space used by Send Safe. He told the paper that MCI would take action if it had evidence that the Send-Safe company was spamming which "would violate MCI policy". But merely advertising its product is a form of speech that should not be censored,..." Source

Sorry, we think this flawed explanation and attempt to wrap the American Flag around your excuse is simply a demonstration of greed and an effort to continue to reap millions of dollars from your actions. We aren't the only ones who think this. Read this:

"MCI Worldcom's official position on the issue is that MCI can't stop their spam gangs selling proxy hijacking spamware from MCI's network as that would be 'censoring' the distribution and sale of illegal proxy hijacking software."

"MCI is the only American, and indeed only Western network, where this spam support activity is "not against our policy". Spamhaus maintains that MCI's 'protected speech' excuses for servicing known spam gangs and proxy spamware distribution sites are dishonest and nonsensical in the face of the Internet's spam epidemic." Source

Enabler Number 2

The largest distributor/author of Spamware is Send Safe (send-safe.com). Send Safe is a stealth proxy hijacking tool. This site is of course hosted by MCI and they are acutely aware of this fact but refuse to shut the site site down. Matter of fact, Spammers/Spam Gangs of all flavors love MCI since they refuse to take action and use a flawed argument to continue to profit from from this deplorable act.

Enabler Number 3

The send-safe.com site uses SWREG (swreg.org) as their credit card gateway to process credit card orders for this Spam tool. This company earns a commission from each sale. I find this action deplorable.

Enabler Number 4

Download.com is also aware that they are distributing Spamware. For example, a Spamware tool called LegalSender 1.60g has been distributed by Download.com since 2002. Click here to read the description. Sorry, this is not an isolated incidence, they also profit and distribute the following Spamware: StealthMail Master, Easy Mass Mailer, Speed Send Mailer, Advanced Mass Sender, and Mass eMailer.

Conclusions

If you are a regular reader, you noticed that we have documented legal action against Spammers as well as the CAN-SPAM federal law. While these actions will help, they don't represent an effective solution. Today, about 70% of all email is Spam. Unfortunately, we expect this to continue to increase this year and beyond unless additional measures are taken. Our hope and prayer is that large ISPs like AOL or MSN will sue MCI Worldcom in federal court and prevail. Shut down MCI and make them stop. Make MCI pay millions of dollars for the Spam damage which they actively and knowingly participate in. This would also result in the shut down of the Spam gangs sites. Next, SWREG needs to also find themselves in federal court along side Download.com.

Naturally, this legal attack must continue against other US based criminals who are either directly or indirectly enaged in this deplorable behavior.