Quote:
Originally Posted by tofu
I wonder though, if the spammers would just start using stolen credit cards. In discussing this with coworkers, we're also concerned about the botnet issue.
If the *spammer* had to pay $2500 to send a million emails, I totally agree, that would stop all spam. But what I'm concerned with is that the spammers are sending their email from a hacked computer - from your grandmother's computer. Wont they just keep doing what they've always done, except tht now your grandmother gets a bill for 2500? Or alternately, they only have to steal one credit card per spam blast.
In an earlier post, I asked "who collects the charges" I've pretty much got that part figured out. (I'll share if anyone cares) But the part I don't have a solution to is botnets and stolen CCs.
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If stolen credit cards became a major way to fund spam then banks would probably stop allowing cards to be used to pay for email except by prior arrangement between the bank and cardholder. When a credit card is issued the user would have to specifically ask for the ability to pay for email and set a monthly limit for it. He would accept responsibility for any emailing charges put on the card so most people would leave it off or set a small limit. Then most stolen credit cards would be useless for sending spam. Most people would not be paying large email charges so it would be no real inconvenience to not be able to. When an ISP received a credit card number from someone to charge for emailing services they'd have to report it as such so the authorization center would know to decline it if it's not allowed. Computer software would handle that automatically most of the time.
So your grandmother would never get that $2500 credit card bill because the ISP would be told that the charge was fraudulent. The spam would not be delivered.