Millions of email addreses for sale. Is this legal?

cyberstar

How did this seller manage to get hold of all those emails. Isn't it encouraging spamming and is it legal?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/200-000-000-Opt-in-Email-Addresses-DOUBLE-CD-ROM_W0QQitemZ250009936715QQihZ015QQcategoryZ46689QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

SmileBeHappy

i wouldv'e sed no but i

notagain_3

"Opt-In Email Addresses" If that is true, then its legal to sell them. Companies do it all the time.

Moglex

cyberstar wrote:

How did this seller manage to get hold of all those emails. Isn't it encouraging spamming and is it legal?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/200-000-000-Opt-in-Email-Addresses-DOUBLE-CD-ROM_W0QQitemZ250009936715QQihZ015QQcategoryZ46689QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

These lists have been doing the rounds for years.

As soon as the first one appeared, people with a get rich quick mentality thought "if I buy that, what's to stop me selling it on", and that's exactly what they did.

I haven't actually been spammed with an ad for such a list for a long time but it used to be very common back in the mid '90's.

Can't see why it would be illegal under current legislation. Of course, it would be nice if legislation were introduced to make it illegal but I'm sure that would be a lot harder than it sounds.

notagain_3

If people are so dumb as to opt-in to this sort of thing, then what do they expect. They're giving permission for this to happen.

However, like any list, its accuracy, quality and legitimicy can always be doubted. Also, they won't all be UK addresses etc etc

rdwarr

What WOULD be illegal is using them to send out spam.

angelcake

what is this?

phill79

cyberstar wrote:

How did this seller manage to get hold of all those emails. Isn't it encouraging spamming and is it legal?

Whether they are "opt-in" is questionable.
But they can be downloaded from certain sites with ease. They all come in a .txt file then just write it to CD.

Thefunkygibbons

try using 200 million emails

Most hosts would kick you off their site

and all the undelivered mail

and all the hate mail

the unsubscribe requests

etc

Stratford_Bill

The principle of law in this country is that it is legal so long as there is not a law against it. I don't think there is. You get stalls in the market selling everything for the hash smoker except the hash, and so long as they are not selling hash, the police can do nothing about it.