AOL Sues Junk E-Mailer, Alleging Deception

America Online Inc. has filed suit in federal court against a junk e-mail company, seeking to bar the company from sending e-mail to any AOL member. The nation’s largest online service filed suit this week in Alexandria, Va., against Over the Air Equipment, based in Las Vegas, alleging the company has sent thousands of unsolicited e-mails to its subscribers and hid behind phony return addresses, in a practice known as “spamming.” Dulles, Va.-based AOL alleges that Over the Air Equipment’s e-mails offered “cyberstrippers” over the World Wide Web. The suit also alleges that Over the Air Equipment used the AOL trademark without permission. A receptionist for Over the Air Equipment said no one was available for comment. AOL made repeated demands for Over the Air Equipment to cease their mailings, Boe said, but the company has ignored them.