Porn site spam tricked victims with PlayStation prize

The complaint was brought as part of the recent International Netforce law enforcement effort, in which the FTC joined eight state law enforcers in the US and four Canadian agencies in investigating and bringing 63 actions against a wide range of internet scams for allegedly sending deceptive unsolicited e-mail and engaging in web fraud.

According to the FTC, when consumers responded to a spam e-mail message telling them that they had won the games console, they were directed to a web page that imitated the authentic Yahoo! site. The site instructed consumers to download a program that would supposedly allow them to connect "toll-free" to a web site where they could enter their name and address to claim their PlayStation. Consumers who followed the instructions were connected to a pornographic web site through a premium-rate number.

"This case involves 'bait-and-switch' of the worst kind," said J. Howard Beales, III, Director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection. "The spammers promised a product that's particularly attractive to kids. They delivered a product that's offensive to many adults, and totally inappropriate for kids. Consumers were told it was free, but they were charged minute-by-minute. The FTC has put a stop to it."

At the request of the FTC, a US District Court has halted the scheme and frozen the accused corporations' assets pending a hearing. The agency alleges that the scam has caused millions of dollars in consumer injury.