Consumer Alert!
Camera Spray Ads being sent as Spam

The National Campaign to Stop Red Light Running has heard from numerous supporters regarding the proliferation of unsolicited or “spam” e-mails promoting the alleged benefits of sprays designed to block license plates from being read by photo enforcement cameras.

These products are a fraud. They are being sold under a variety of names by a number of questionable companies and all promise that drivers can run red lights with impunity by deflecting the image that would normally be captured by a red light camera.

First, throughout the United States, it is illegal to attempt to obstruct a license plate. Furthermore, the sprays have been shown in several reliable field tests to be completely useless in blocking photographs of vehicle license plates. In fact, in some cases the sprays have actually improved the quality of the images taken of license plates by several different types of photo enforcement technology.

Traffic safety leaders condemn the unscrupulous business practices being demonstrated by these individuals and companies, who seem to think that drivers have the right to run red lights and add to the unacceptable number of deaths and injuries and millions of dollars in property damages caused each year by this reckless behavior.

How You Can Help Stop This

Until prosecuting attorneys and state consumer protection agencies are able to stop the actual con-artists peddling these products, there is something that can be done about the spam being received almost daily by many people on their home and work computers.

The mass distribution of unsolicited commercial e-mail is also now illegal under the provisions of the federal CAN-SPAM Act which took effect on January 1, 2004. It imposes limitations and financial penalties on the transmission of unsolicited commercial e-mail via the Internet. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the states' Attorneys General are responsible for enforcing most of the provisions of the CAN-SPAM Act.

If you receive an unwanted legitimate commercial e-mail, respond to the sender to state that you do not want to receive further e-mail from that sender. If you then receive subsequent commercial messages from that sender-more than 10 days after your request would have been received, you may report that to the FTC. Send a copy of such unlawful messages to uce@ftc.gov. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit www.ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357)