Virginia Tries First Felony Spam Case; Americans Stream to Canada for Flu Shots; Most Home PCs Infected with Something

Virginia Tries First Felony Spam Case

Three Raleigh, N.C.-based spammers are on trial in Loudon County, Va., for violating the state’s anti-spam law. According to a story in the Washington Post, the three defendants are accused of illegally flooding America Online e-mail accounts with millions of advertisements for penny stocks and work-from-home schemes. If convicted, each could face up to 15 years in prison and $2,500 in fines.

For more details, read the full article in the Washington Post.

Americans Stream to Canada for Flu Shots

Fearful that they may not get innoculated as flu season approaches because of a shortage in America, Canadian pharmacies and physicians are doing brisk business as Americans cross the border to get their flu shots. According to a story in the Boston Globe, some Canadian companies are taking a novel approach and coupling the American demand with tourism. One company is offering a “flu cruise” from Seattle to British Columbia. “It’s creative marketing. . . . They are clearly fulfilling a need,” said Suzanne Germain, spokeswoman for the Vancouver Island Health Authority, part of Canada’s healthcare system. Still, “it’s one of the most bizarre things we’ve ever seen,” she said.

For more details, read the full article in the Boston Globe.

Most Home PCs Infected with Something

A survey by America Online and the National Cyber Security Alliance has found that 80 percent of home PCs have some sort of malware on them (viruses, spyware or adware). According to a report in The Register, researchers interviewed 329 computer users and examined their computers. One subject in the survey had 92 viruses on his PC, and another had 1,059 spyware/adware programs running on his machine.

For more details, read the full article in The Register.