Stateside spam scams under the cosh

Illegal spammers are being targeted by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) which has been busting online consumer fraud in the US and Canada.

The FTC has been cracking down on organisations offering everything from 'anthrax for sale' to 'get rich quick' schemes, resulting in 63 official actions over the last six months.

Christine Gregorie, the Washington Attorney General who was involved in the spam hunt, said the net is a major area of consumer fraud and the US government will not allow it to become a vehicle for criminals.

This year the FTC has sent warning letters to around 500 websites that allegedly send out chain letters, plus 75 sites that did not remove people from their subscription lists when requested.