Fine Imposed on IMG of Auckland for Sending Spam

Image Marketing Group, a marketer based in Auckland, is supposed to pay a whopping $120K fine ever-since its admission to dispatching massive volumes of spam mails as well as text messages during 2009-10, published tvnz.co.nz dated February 13, 2014.

Imposing legal proceedings against the firm, which was an operation by two individuals, the Department of Internal Affairs that got 500 complaints stated that the Auckland High Court approved the fine which was the biggest sum enforced thus far within the purview of the Unsolicited Electronic Communication Act implemented during 2007.

Reportedly during 2009, IMG dispatched over 500,000 spam messages along with 45,000 texts designed as invitation for people to purchase cell-phone antennas as well as database products the company supplied.

According to Judge Mary Peters, the guilt party dispatched a still greater number of spam messages during 2010; however, it wasn't known how much, reported tvnz.co.nz.

Meanwhile, following a negotiated settlement approved in court, Internal Affairs annulled the earlier decided action vis-à-vis Brendan Battles, Image Marketing Group's lone director. Companies and individuals that dispatch junk e-mails can be fined to a maximum of $500K in addition to damages or $200K respectively.

Initially, the department penalized IMG during 2011 the time the firm along with Battles was likely to be fined $2.1m at most for committing 4 separate crimes.

Paul Matthews CEO of Institute of IT Professionals described IMG and Battles as aggressive spam mailers continuing to dispatch bulk e-mails during 2011 even while their case was put up in court. NBR published this dated February 14, 2014.

Moreover, as per Toni Demetriou Electronic Messaging Compliance's Team Leader, IMG should halt distributing any more junk e-mails at ids of New Zealand residents so consumers can clearly be spared from getting the sickening unwanted texts/e-mails, reported canindia.com dated February 13, 2014.

Former Vice-President Rick Shera of InternetNZ, according to whom the spam volume apparently within the current case is pretty huge, states it mayn't be difficult to locate the probable spam criminals, nonetheless, how and what resources Internal Affairs can allocate for the cases remains a question. Canindia.com published this dated February 10, 2014.

» SPAMfighter News - 2/21/2014