Pfizer, Microsoft Sue Viagra Spammers - GoFuckYourself.com

BigWebRev · 02-10-2005, 04:18 PM

NEW YORK (AP) - Pfizer Inc. (PFE) and Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) are teaming up to fight the slew of spam e-mails hawking Viagra that invade consumers' computers.

The companies said Thursday they had filed a total of 17 lawsuits against defendants involved in the sale and distribution of the blockbuster erectile dysfunction drug.

Microsoft, the Redmond, Wash., software giant, has targeted spammers before, but this is the first time the company has joined forces with a nontechnology firm.

As many as one in every four spam e-mails advertise Viagra, Microsoft and Pfizer said.

Consumers often mistakenly think the e-mails are sent by New York-based Pfizer and that the drugs they order through these online pharmacies are legitimate, said Beth Levine, Pfizer's general counsel for U.S. pharmaceuticals.

"The consumer is most often completely unaware that the product they receive in a plain, brown envelope is illegally shipped from across the globe," Levine said.

Pfizer filed a dozen lawsuits against Internet pharmacies and spammers, while Microsoft filed five.

Most of the defendants were targeted by only one lawsuit. But two online sites - CanadianPharmacy and E-Pharmacy Direct - were the subject of lawsuits by both Microsoft and Pfizer.

Aaron Kornblum, Microsoft's Internet safety enforcement attorney, said Microsoft and Pfizer don't know the identities of many of the spammers and of the people running the online pharmacies.

Several of the Web sites were registered to real people without their knowledge, Kornblum said.

Filing the lawsuits allows Microsoft and Pfizer to subpoena Internet service providers to help track down the defendants, Kornblum said.

"This is the first time that we've had this cross-industry partnership to target the entire spam supply chain," he said.

Besides CanadianPharmacy and E-Pharmacy Direct, the lawsuits target 10 other online pharmacies, including half-price-viagra.com and cheapviagrastore.com.

Drug counterfeiting can put a big dent in the profits of pharmaceutical companies, said David Webster, president of Bethlehem, Pa.-based Webster Consulting, which works with the pharmaceutical industry.

"If Pfizer can make a marginal improvement in the counterfeiting of Viagra, that can translate into hundreds of millions of dollars" in recovered revenue, Webster said.

http://apnews.excite.com/article/200...D885T8Q00.html

hydro · 02-10-2005, 04:18 PM

OMG old!!!!!one11

BigWebRev · 02-10-2005, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hydro

OMG old!!!!!one11

not really, Feb 10, 4:38 PM (ET)

Steen2 · 02-10-2005, 04:30 PM

spam doesn't seem to be good..

02-10-2005, 04:18 PM	#1
BigWebRev Confirmed User Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: L A Posts: 1,631	Pfizer, Microsoft Sue Viagra Spammers NEW YORK (AP) - Pfizer Inc. (PFE) and Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) are teaming up to fight the slew of spam e-mails hawking Viagra that invade consumers' computers. The companies said Thursday they had filed a total of 17 lawsuits against defendants involved in the sale and distribution of the blockbuster erectile dysfunction drug. Microsoft, the Redmond, Wash., software giant, has targeted spammers before, but this is the first time the company has joined forces with a nontechnology firm. As many as one in every four spam e-mails advertise Viagra, Microsoft and Pfizer said. Consumers often mistakenly think the e-mails are sent by New York-based Pfizer and that the drugs they order through these online pharmacies are legitimate, said Beth Levine, Pfizer's general counsel for U.S. pharmaceuticals. "The consumer is most often completely unaware that the product they receive in a plain, brown envelope is illegally shipped from across the globe," Levine said. Pfizer filed a dozen lawsuits against Internet pharmacies and spammers, while Microsoft filed five. Most of the defendants were targeted by only one lawsuit. But two online sites - CanadianPharmacy and E-Pharmacy Direct - were the subject of lawsuits by both Microsoft and Pfizer. Aaron Kornblum, Microsoft's Internet safety enforcement attorney, said Microsoft and Pfizer don't know the identities of many of the spammers and of the people running the online pharmacies. Several of the Web sites were registered to real people without their knowledge, Kornblum said. Filing the lawsuits allows Microsoft and Pfizer to subpoena Internet service providers to help track down the defendants, Kornblum said. "This is the first time that we've had this cross-industry partnership to target the entire spam supply chain," he said. Besides CanadianPharmacy and E-Pharmacy Direct, the lawsuits target 10 other online pharmacies, including half-price-viagra.com and cheapviagrastore.com. Drug counterfeiting can put a big dent in the profits of pharmaceutical companies, said David Webster, president of Bethlehem, Pa.-based Webster Consulting, which works with the pharmaceutical industry. "If Pfizer can make a marginal improvement in the counterfeiting of Viagra, that can translate into hundreds of millions of dollars" in recovered revenue, Webster said. http://apnews.excite.com/article/200...D885T8Q00.html

02-10-2005, 04:30 PM	#4
Steen2 Confirmed User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 7,662	spam doesn't seem to be good.. __________________ ICQ: 2262.73945

02-10-2005, 04:18 PM	#2
hydro Confirmed User Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Dirty 3rd Posts: 4,216	OMG old!!!!!one11