CNet News reports that Ryan Pitylak, documented as the world’s fourth most-prolific spammer by antispam group Spamhaus, has settled a lawsuit with Microsoft and the state of Texas which accused him of sending up to 25 million e-mails per day. The settlement cost Ryan Pitylak 1 million dollars, as well as the seizure of many of the assets he accumulated during a short-lived career as one of the world’s worst spammers.
Big deal I say. I wonder how much he still has. Is he suffering in poverty now? Is he still allowed to use a computer or have an Internet account?
I’m sorry but I have zero compassion for email spammers. As one who has to sort through about 500 spam emails a day, I absolutely loathe the people on the other end, people who think that I need to increase my manhood, need medical help with my sexual life, want me to refinance my house, think I want a replica Rolex watch, want me to exchange links with them or even as of late, send me form spam consisting of gibberish.
I think the guy got off way to easy. Lock him and others like him up… FOREVER!. Never let them use a computer… AGAIN! Do something more extreme then take away a small percentage of what they earned bugging the hell out of so many people on Earth.
CNet goes on to report that “Pitylak is claiming something of an epiphany, saying he has seen the error of his ways and will dedicate his efforts to trying to rid the world of nuisance e-mail. He has even taken to referring to himself as an ‘antispam activist’ in an apparent change of heart of epic proportions.”
Right! He already knew the error of his ways before he starting sending spam to people all over the world.
Pitylak writes the following garbage in his blog:
“Over time I have come to see how I was wrong to think of spam as just a game of cat and mouse with corporate e-mail administrators. I now understand why so much effort is put into stopping it. The settlements with Microsoft and the Attorney General’s Office have been a serious reality check: harsh but good, and in the public’s best interest.”
“I am pleased to announce that I am now a part of the anti-spam community, having started an Internet security company that offers my clients advice on systems to protect against spam. I’m now working earnestly to help other entrepreneurs avoid the traps that deceived me and led me to make questionable business choices.”
That is all well and fine but I still feel the guy got off easy. Until they create stricter penalties for spammers of the caliber or Mr. Pitylak, they’ll just keep coming, wrecking havoc on infrastructures and robbing individuals of something they can never gain back – time. Sorry Mr. Pitylak, you have no sympathy from me.
