Unsolicited commercial e-mail, or spam, accounts for over 70% of all e-mail traffic on the internet and is frequently linked to fraudulent, deceptive or pornographic commercial activities, says the OFT. But, as over 80% of the spam received by UK internet users originates overseas, cross border collaboration on enforcement is essential.
Starting yesterday, the OFT joined its partners in the International Consumer Protection Enforcement Network (ICPEN) and the anti-spam London Action Plan (LAP), in a 48-hour internet sweep on spam scams.
"Spam gets in the way of legitimate e-commerce and is often a vehicle for scams," said Christine Wade, Director of Consumer Regulation Enforcement at the OFT and ICPEN president. "International collaboration by enforcement agencies, the efforts of the computer and communications industries, and smart consumers at home – who take steps to protect themselves – are all needed to combat the internet scammers."