A U.S. district court issued Tuesday a temporary injunction stopping a New Zealander and a Texan from sending billions of spam e-mails to sell their bogus male-enhancement and other prescription drugs.
The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois also froze the assets of four companies owned by Lance Atkinson, a New Zealand citizen living in Australia, and Jody Smith of Texas, in response to the petition of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
The FTC filed a complaint against the two on behalf of three million people who complained of receiving spam e-mails from the suspects dubbed the spam gang because of their capability to send 10 billion spam e-mails around the world through botnets. Botnets are a network of hijacked computers that send spams to the e-mail address lists of users.
The FTC accused Atkinson and Smith of making false product claims for advertising VPXL pill as a 100 percent herb that permanently enlarges the penis safely. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tested the pill and found that it is tainted with the Viagra ingredient sildenafil, which may cause a drop in blood pressure when taken by certain people who are under diabetes and heart disease medication.
Another weight-loss supplement pill made from a southern African cactus was falsely advertised as effective in losing six pound per week. Other generic versions of drugs Levitra, Avodart, Cialis, Propecia, Viagra, Lipitor, Celebrex, and Zoloft were said to come from a U.S.-licensed pharmacy when these were actually imported from India and are not FDA-approved.
The agency also accused the two of falsely claiming that credit card purchase of their products online are secured.
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