Microsoft won the case against a German spammer

This spammer is guilty of faking an e-mail and using Microsoft's Hotmail brand without permission.

Microsoft won the lawsuit against a German spammer accused of faking an e-mail, as if it was sent from Microsoft's hotmail.com domain.

On October 25, 2006, Microsoft said that the appellate court in Karlsruhe (Germany) found that the person committed a crime of spamming and using Microsoft's Hotmail-protected brand without permission. This spammer (anonymous) sent spam to advertise his pornographic website for several months before the German court tightened the check.

According to the verdict, the spammer commits not to distribute spam using the Hotmail brand anymore or face a penalty of EUR 250,000 (USD 314,000). He must provide Microsoft with detailed information about his e-mail advertising activities.

Microsoft sees the court verdict as a way to deal with spammers in Germany. The sentencing makes abuse of brand names in spam a crime and will be prosecuted.