Posted by Virus Bulletin on Apr 5, 2005
Australian Communications Authority takes action
A popular Australian car sales website has been fined AU$6,600 for sending SMS spam.
Classified car sales website Carsales.com.au had been sending SMS messages promoting its services to members of the public whose phone numbers it harvested from classified advertisements in newspapers and magazines.
The privacy policy of Carsales.com.au states: 'We send messages to mobile phone numbers that are copied from classified advertisements which were most likely published in newspapers or magazines.'
However, the Australian Communications Authority (ACA), which took action after having received a number of complaints about Carsales.com.au's practices, pointed out that the Australian Spam Act is an 'opt-in law' and that publishing one's mobile phone number as part of a classified advertisement in a newspaper or magazine cannot be construed as consenting to receiving unsolicited messages.
The company was handed a AU$6,600 fine for failing to comply with the Spam Act.
Posted on 05 April 2005 by Virus Bulletin
