Well known in anti-spam circles and occupying the number two spot for worst spammers in the world by the Spamhaus ROKSO, (Register of Known Spam Operations), Kobeni Solutions, or Yair Shalev & Kobeni Inc. were found guilty in a spam lawsuit brought by the FTC. The Federal Trade Commission imposed a fine of $350,000 on Kobeni Solutions in settlement of a spam operation involving the Affordable Care Act, even though they have not admitted or denied guilt.
The link in the email went to several insurance companies who had hired Kobeni to drive traffic to their banner ads, websites, and other medial portals for their products. The companies were unaware of this situation, but Kobini had negotiated a fee for each time a consumer made an inquiry to their these websites, so to them it didn't matter if the consumer did anything beyond visiting the websites.
The Federal Trade Commission fined Yair Shalev for failing to provide recipients with a link they could use to unsubscribe from the emails and also for failing to add a postal address to the emails. Kobeni Solutions was sending emails explaining that recipients should purchase health coverage. Recipients were encouraged to click on a link that would take them to a page filled with ads for insurance companies. Kobeni Solutions denied being aware of the scam but received money from the companies that benefited from the traffic.
It is really a wonder that the insurance companies even hired Kobeni, Inc., because they are considered to be the number two worst scamming company in the business. Evidently, this is what they are best known for. Is it possible that Kobeni just looks at the FTC fine as a cost of doing business, and then they go on down the road, as if nothing happened? Possibly so, but it is a shame that so many consumers had to put up with their deception.
Yair Shalev and his company, Kobeni Inc., (based in Hollywood, Florida) have been ordered to pay $350,000 in fines, even though they neither denied or admitted guilt in this matter. This suit was generated due to emails sent out during the initial stages of the Affordable Care Act. The email included a warning to consumers that would in violation o the law, unless they immediately clicked a link to enroll in an insurance plan.
When clicked the links led them to designated websites where advertisements for insurance companies were displayed. The insurance companies involved claim they are completely unaware of the scam, but the website owners paid Shalev and Kobeni for the traffic received.
The link in the email went to several insurance companies who had hired Kobeni to drive traffic to their banner ads, websites, and other medial portals for their products. The companies were unaware of this situation, but Kobini had negotiated a fee for each time a consumer made an inquiry to their these websites, so to them it didn't matter if the consumer did anything beyond visiting the websites.
The Federal Trade Commission fined Yair Shalev for failing to provide recipients with a link they could use to unsubscribe from the emails and also for failing to add a postal address to the emails. Kobeni Solutions was sending emails explaining that recipients should purchase health coverage. Recipients were encouraged to click on a link that would take them to a page filled with ads for insurance companies. Kobeni Solutions denied being aware of the scam but received money from the companies that benefited from the traffic.
It is really a wonder that the insurance companies even hired Kobeni, Inc., because they are considered to be the number two worst scamming company in the business. Evidently, this is what they are best known for. Is it possible that Kobeni just looks at the FTC fine as a cost of doing business, and then they go on down the road, as if nothing happened? Possibly so, but it is a shame that so many consumers had to put up with their deception.
Yair Shalev and his company, Kobeni Inc., (based in Hollywood, Florida) have been ordered to pay $350,000 in fines, even though they neither denied or admitted guilt in this matter. This suit was generated due to emails sent out during the initial stages of the Affordable Care Act. The email included a warning to consumers that would in violation o the law, unless they immediately clicked a link to enroll in an insurance plan.
When clicked the links led them to designated websites where advertisements for insurance companies were displayed. The insurance companies involved claim they are completely unaware of the scam, but the website owners paid Shalev and Kobeni for the traffic received.
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