Datran has announced that it will pay $1.1 million to settle allegations of privacy breach related to sending marketing messages through email. Datran did not admit to any wrongdoing, but according to the settlement Datran has used emails from list providers who had promised consumers they wouldn’t sell, rent or share such information.


Datran has announced that it will pay $1.1 million to settle allegations of privacy breach related to sending marketing messages through email. Datran did not admit to any wrongdoing, but according to the settlement Datran has used emails from list providers who had promised consumers they wouldn’t sell, rent or share such information.

“Datran admitted to no wrongdoing but agreed to pay $1.1 million, including $750,000 in penalties, $300,000 as disgorgement and $50,000 as investigatory costs. The company also agreed to hire or designate a chief privacy officer, destroy the data from Gratis and other list sellers and improve its due diligence before buying lists”. [Datran]

One of the companies involved in the allegation is Gratis Network LLC. On the Gratis’ site consumers sign up to earn free iPods and other consumer goods. Millions of these emails are alleged to have been sold to Datran.

Datran is a member of the Direct Marketing Association, the Email Sender and Provider Coalition and the International Association of Privacy Professionals.

The Internet bureau of the attorney general’s office investigated Datran’s marketing emails.