Symantec Granted $3 Million Settlement Against Maryland-Based Internet Marketing Company

Symantec Corp., an Internet security company, announced that the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California Western Division awarded Symantec a $3 million judgment against Baltimore-based Maryland Internet Marketing for selling counterfeit Symantec software. As part of a settlement for the case, Maryland Internet Marketing CEO George Moore is personally required to pay $300,000 in damages to Symantec.

In addition, the court permanently barred Maryland Internet Marketing and Moore from producing or selling unauthorized products protected by Symantec’s registered trademarks and name. The injunction also prohibits the defendants from using spammed e-mail as a means to sell Symantec products. Furthermore, Moore and Maryland Internet Marketing are required under the settlement to provide assistance to Symantec in its investigative actions against other suppliers of counterfeit Symantec software.

“In our estimation, Maryland Internet Marketing was the largest source of spammed e-mails circulating throughout the Internet in the United States selling counterfeit Symantec software,” said William Plante, director of Worldwide Security and Brand Protection Task Force. “As a result of this case, the frequency of such e-mails has dropped dramatically and a sizable amount of counterfeit product has been taken out of circulation. The fact that Mr. Moore was held personally accountable speaks volumes for how serious a crime it is to sell counterfeit software.”

Symantec filed suit against Maryland Internet Marketing in April of 2003 for claims of trademark infringement, copyright infringement and false advertising in response to an extensive spammed e-mail campaign selling counterfeit Symantec software at grossly reduced prices. The products involved included Norton SystemWorks, Norton AntiVirus, Norton Ghost, and pcAnywhere.

The settlement follows similar results achieved by Symantec against CD Micro in September 2003 and eCommerce in October 2003. In the case against CD Micro, the court awarded Symantec a $10 million judgment against CD Micro and its CEO Vince Webb for the sale of counterfeit Symantec software. In the case of eCommerce, damages were also awarded in favor of Symantec, along with an injunction that permanently barred eCommerce from selling unauthorized Symantec-labeled software, specifically in the form of spammed e-mail. eCommerce was offering Symantec products via spammed e-mail at grossly reduced prices under the Web site heading of PerfectCollectibles.com.