What Happens To The Spammer?

Sometimes it's difficult to understand why spamming is considered
one of the most vile sins on the internet. After all, what harm
does an extra email or two cause? And even if the spammer is
reported or caught, who cares? I mean, what happens to a spammer
anyway?

We've all heard people say, "well, why not just hit the delete
key?" I used to take the time to try and explain the problem to
these people, but I've since realized that there is a brand of
ignorance which cannot be penetrated by reason or logic. Now I
just nod and smile, and change the subject.

Spam would not be so bad if it was just one or two emails now and
then. Unfortunately, it's not just one person sending an
unsolicited advertisement once a month - it's hundreds or even
thousands. And the emails are virtually always regarding some
scam, a useless product or, very often, some pornographic or
money making scheme. I've received tens of thousands of spam
emails over the years, and not once has any of them ever been of
value.

I don't understand why spammers don't get the message that their
emails are unwanted. Why do they keep sending out their useless
advertisements? Do people actually purchase anything from them?
Do these people really make money?

Okay, so what happens to spammers anyway?

Your amateur spammer must feel very much like a criminal does.
You see, they must hide their identities in any number of devious
ways to prevent their ISP and web hosts from shutting them down.
New laws are being passed which make these people into real
criminals, making it even more important that they remain hidden.

1) When an ISP or web host begins receiving dozens of spam reports
on someone using their services, they will typically cancel first
and ask questions later. Thus, your average spammer is constantly
losing his hosting services and always searching for another ISP.
He has to - he keeps getting kicked out when his misdeeds is
discovered.

2) Spammers, if they can be identified, can be sued. This is
fairly rare, as it is difficult to prove actual damage, but you
can sue them and win. And if you are an ISP or host, you can
definitely get them to dig into their pockets for the resources
they wasted.

3) If a spammer annoys the wrong person, he could find himself
harassed. For example, people have been known to send back email
bombs, perform denial of service attacks or simply get phone
lines canceled.

4) If a spammer gets his domain added to any of the various
"black holes", then he may find that he cannot send email at all.

5) Depending upon how vile the material, the law can come down
upon a spammer. This is especially true with scams and
pornography of the most degraded kind.

6) Most spammers do not realize there is always a way to find out
where the email came from. It does not matter how well they
attempt to cover their tracks - they do need to make it possible
to order something and thus they can be tracked - even if it
means physically visiting their business with a search warrant.

I hope that helps clarify what happens to the spammer in the
short or long run. Spam does cause damage, and spammers,
especially the largest and worst offenders, should be prosecuted
to the fullest extent of the law.