Sanford Wallace is the ur-spammer. His first business was junk-faxing until that was outawed. In the mid-90's he became the person most responsible for the e-mail spam plague, using his junk-fax connections to pioneer the concept though his now-defunct Cyber Promotions. After he found it hard to obtain ISP service, he started up his own ISP as a spammer heaven.
A number of lawsuits, FTC actions, etc, later and Mr. Wallace "went legit", or so he said. He started a new company for "permission-based marketing" called SmartBot.net. He'd seen the light and would only market to willing recipients, or so he said.
The FTC thinks Sanford Wallace is now spreading spyware:
The Federal Trade Commission on Thursday filed the first case in the country against software companies accused of infecting computers with intrusive "spyware" and then trying to sell people the solution.See also here and here and here for more info on some of these "products". See also this post on the initial FTC complaint.
The commission accused the companies of infecting computers with unsolicited software, showering computer screens with pop-up ads and then trying to get consumers to pay $30 to fix it. It is seeking an injunction to get the companies, owned by the same person, to stop, and to offer restitution to consumers.
The FTC requested a temporary restraining order from the U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire against Seismic Entertainment Productions Inc., Smartbot.Net, Inc., and Sanford Wallace.
The FTC said the companies secretly installed the software on computers, causing systems to be overwhelmed by pop-up advertisements, and then sending them alarming messages saying they needed to buy "Spy Wiper" or "Spy Deleter" for $30.
The FTC alleges the defendants have unfairly: changed consumers' Web browsers, installed advertising and other software programs, and compelled purchase of anti-spyware software.
Seismic is based in Rochester, N.H.; SmartBot in Richboro, Pa., with its principal place of business in Barrington, N.H. Wallace is officer and director of both Seismic and SmartBot.