Suing Fax.com For $500 Billion

from the making-a-point dept

Apparently, it's not a smart idea to piss off Steve Kirsch (who I've made fun of in the past). Following closely on the heals of the FCCs decision to fine Fax.com $5.38 million for violating fax laws, Kirsch is suing the company for $500 billion (yes, with a b). He is sick of hearing his fax machine receiving unsolicited faxes at 3am. He's trying to turn this into a class action suit, and says he may go after spammers next. His quote: "I have the resources, time and money." Okay, Steve, I'm on your side on this one.
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  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 23 Aug 2002 @ 8:40am

    No Subject Given

    Interestingly Bob Egelko of the Chronicle doesn't seem to understand the difference between a billion and a trillion, and now it's been picked up by Reuters that fax.com is being sued for $1.5 trillion. The total spending of the US Federal government last year was $2 trillion.
    In suits filed today in state and federal courts, software company owner Steve Kirsch and another plaintiff seek the damages provided by law, $500 for each unsolicited commercial fax over the last four years. If a judge certifies either suit as a nationwide class action on behalf of all recipients, the figure can be multiplied by 3 million, the number of faxes that the company boasts it sends each day, Kirsch said. That comes to $2.2 trillion, even without invoking another section of the law that allows judges to triple damages for willful violations, Kirsch said.
    Last time I checked 500 * 3,000,000 = 1.5 billion, not trillion.

    SFgate article

    Innumeracy in Journalism

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Dave, 23 Aug 2002 @ 9:32am

      Umm check your math

      Last time I checked $500 * 365 (days) * 4 (years) * 3,000,000 = $2.19 trillion

      link to this | view in chronology ]


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