How an Online Mailing List Can Land You in Jail

Most people who decide to start their own business are surprised by the amount of work it actually takes. The rewards of undergoing this venture, however, are often well worth the effort.

Those involved in a start-up will have to exhaust every possible method of reaching out to potential customers, and this often involves contacting people through the Internet.

There are actually ways that business owners can purchase email addresses to send out promotions, but most don't realize that this can actually end in legal issues.

Can a Person Really Steal Emails?

Purchasing emails can become a murky area if they weren't obtained through legitimate means. There are actually various ways, including hacking, that a dishonest person can steal email lists from companies, organizations, groups and websites.

Many will then in turn sell these lists to unsuspecting individuals involved in start-ups. Some people may think that stealing an inanimate object can't constitute a crime, but they'd be seriously mistaken.

In one instance, an engineer for American Online stole 92 million email addresses and screen names from the company. He then sold these addresses to others who ended up sending out emails whose numbers could've grown into the billions. The former engineer was sentenced to over a year in prison and a fine of over $80,000; this fine was triple what the man actually earned from his theft.

Purchasing Emails as a Crime

Stealing email lists is definitely a crime, but many individuals wonder if purchasing these email addresses can lead to legal penalties as well. After all, it's not as if the startup founder themselves hacked into anything and stole the lists. It's important to remember, however, that even those who don't steal property can be charged with receiving stolen property if they come into possession of it after the fact.

Each state actually has its own laws related to receiving stolen property. In the majority of crimes, a prosecutor must prove that a person had intent on committing a crime before they can be convicted.

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In some areas in America, however, this proof isn't necessary when it comes to receiving stolen property. A person can sometimes be convicted of the crime based solely on the fact that it occurred; it doesn't even need to be proven that they were aware of the stolen nature of the email lists. It's also important to note that receiving stolen property can be charged as a federal crime as well.

Protecting the Company

The success of a company can depend on its promotional practices, and purchasing email lists definitely constitutes bad business. A person can never tell if the email addresses they're purchasing are legal or not, and even if they are, using these lists can damage a company.

Sending unsolicited emails is actually illegal, and when users start flagging these emails as spam, many email providers will automatically send subsequent emails to spam folders. This, in turn, can actually prevent legitimate customers from receiving future email updates.

Start-ups that are looking to grow their business without using deceptive and potentially illegal methods should consider maximizing their social media pages and website. In addition, guerrilla marketing can help fledgling companies in great ways as well. These ideas are low cost and provide a great return on investment.

A business owner can even handle their own search engine optimization in an effort to get their company out there while saving money. It's simply important to avoid shortcuts offered by companies that seem less than reputable.

Business owners should try absolutely everything to make their company successful, but this effort should end when a certain activity moves into the gray area of the law. Purchasing stolen email lists can result in charges of accepting stolen goods and even conspiracy in some instances.

This is why it's imperative to focus on legitimate means of growing a business. Dishonest practices may work well for a while, but they'll usually blow up in a person's face before this success becomes permanent.

Debbie Nguyen

About the Author:

Debbie Nguyen is a freelance designer and blogger who has never enjoyed cold-calling for business. She finds it much easier to call on someone she has an established relationship with.  will assist new businesses in following all legal and ethical business practices.