AOL To Give Away Spammer's Porsche

Spam will pay off big for one America Online member.

As part of its ongoing war against unwanted E-mail, AOL on Tuesday unveiled an anti-spam sweepstakes that runs until April 8. The prize: a 2002 Porsche Boxster S Cabriolet seized from a spammer. The company obtained the vehicle last year as part of a successful legal action against its owner.

"We see this as a great way to teach spammers a lesson and reward our members for their continued use of the 'Report Spam' button," Randall Boe, AOL's executive VP and general counsel, said in a statement.

Virginia, AOL's home state, added asset forfeiture to its anti-spam law in July. The federal Can-Spam Act made the penalty national at the beginning of this year.

The sweepstakes is open to legal residents of the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia who are 18 years and older and who are members of AOL. Members must complete an online entry form by going to the AOL keywords "Spam" or "Spamfighters." The company will select the winner of the Porsche on April 9.

AOL has been aggressively pursuing spammers in the courts, either on its own or in conjunction with other Internet providers. Earlier this month, AOL joined forces with EarthLink, Microsoft, and Yahoo to reveal half a dozen lawsuits against more than 200 spammers under the Can-Spam Act.