U.S. FTC shuts down drivers license spam scam

Source: Silicon Valley

Several unscrupulous ''spammers'' have been shut down after bombarding Internet users with e-mail offers for allegedly bogus international drivers' licenses, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission said Thursday.

The move should put the brakes on a common scam that has evolved into one of the most prevalent forms of unwanted junk e-mail over the past several years.

The FTC charged six online marketers with selling international drivers' licenses that actually are not recognized by any government, targeting immigrants and those who have had their real licenses revoked.

The alleged scam artists -- who operated under a variety of names -- charged up to $375 for a license that could supposedly win back suspended driving privileges and make holders immune to speeding tickets or other traffic violations, the watchdog agency said.

Legitimate international licenses confer no such privileges, but only translate an existing state-issued license into a number of different languages, said Howard Beales, head of the FTC's consumer-protection division.

``These scam artists act as if they have a license to deceive customers,'' Beales said.

Drivers presenting these fake international licenses to police could face fines and a ``custodial environment,'' said Mike Muth, an assistant director at Interpol, the international police organization.

Five of those named have had their assets frozen by U.S. courts, Beales said, while a court decision on the sixth defendant is expected within several days.

Although spam is widely regarded as one of the top nuisances on the Internet, it is not illegal under U.S. law.