11/10/2004
Global cooperation needed to stop spam scams, says OFT
Global cooperation on network security, law enforcement and heightened consumer awareness is needed to help shield internet users from spam, according to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).
Bulk unsolicited electronic messages, or spam, accounts for over 60% of all e-mail traffic on the internet, up from under half in 2003 and under 10% in 2001, and is frequently linked to fraudulent, deceptive or pornographic commercial activities. It is estimated that over 80% of spam received by UK internet users originates from overseas, making cross-border collaboration on enforcement essential.
The OFT delivered its message at a London conference of international spam enforcement agencies today which brought together consumer protection, data protection and telecommunications agencies from over 20 countries.
The conference, co-hosted with the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), is designed to promote cross-border cooperation on spam and spam-related problems, such as on-line fraud and computer viruses.
Successful joint enforcement actions against spam include an investigation carried out by the FTC and the OFT into a company trading – which originated in the UK and targeted US consumers – which used patriotic messages to lure people into buying fake domain names in the immediate wake of September 11.
John Vickers, OFT Chairman, said that enforcement agencies, computer and communications industries, and smart consumers at home all needed to work together to combat the internet scammers.
He added: "Spam is not just annoying and intrusive. It gets in the way of legitimate e-commerce, and is often a vehicle for scams and computer viruses."
Deborah Majoras, FTC Chairman, said the conference had helped unite agencies to stop deceptive and fraudulent spam from flooding email boxes, threatening data security, and undermining email's effectiveness as a tool for commerce and communication.
Consumers are reminded that as most spam involves a scam, they should immediately delete suspicious mail, use a spam filter and to not click on adverts in spam emails – as they often contain a downloadable virus.
(gmcg/mb)
Bulk unsolicited electronic messages, or spam, accounts for over 60% of all e-mail traffic on the internet, up from under half in 2003 and under 10% in 2001, and is frequently linked to fraudulent, deceptive or pornographic commercial activities. It is estimated that over 80% of spam received by UK internet users originates from overseas, making cross-border collaboration on enforcement essential.
The OFT delivered its message at a London conference of international spam enforcement agencies today which brought together consumer protection, data protection and telecommunications agencies from over 20 countries.
The conference, co-hosted with the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), is designed to promote cross-border cooperation on spam and spam-related problems, such as on-line fraud and computer viruses.
Successful joint enforcement actions against spam include an investigation carried out by the FTC and the OFT into a company trading – which originated in the UK and targeted US consumers – which used patriotic messages to lure people into buying fake domain names in the immediate wake of September 11.
John Vickers, OFT Chairman, said that enforcement agencies, computer and communications industries, and smart consumers at home all needed to work together to combat the internet scammers.
He added: "Spam is not just annoying and intrusive. It gets in the way of legitimate e-commerce, and is often a vehicle for scams and computer viruses."
Deborah Majoras, FTC Chairman, said the conference had helped unite agencies to stop deceptive and fraudulent spam from flooding email boxes, threatening data security, and undermining email's effectiveness as a tool for commerce and communication.
Consumers are reminded that as most spam involves a scam, they should immediately delete suspicious mail, use a spam filter and to not click on adverts in spam emails – as they often contain a downloadable virus.
(gmcg/mb)
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