ValueClick is having a REALLY bad day. 1st the news surfaces that CJ is losing eBay, probably it’s biggest merchant - and now this. It hit the wires today that ValueClick has agreed to pay a record $2.9 million fine as part of a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission. ValueClick made no admission of guilt. The charges resulted in the largest settlement amount the FTC has ever reached under Can-Spam. (This story was 1st released from what I can tell on Feb 18th, but the news is just hitting the press hard today about it.)

Online advertiser to settle spam charges for record $2.9 million - Cnet

“According to a federal court filing (PDF) released Monday, since at least early 2005, Westlake Village, Calif.-based ValueClick and its subsidiary Hi-Speed Media have been attempting to lure consumers to their Web sites through e-mails and Web-based ads bearing slogans like “Free PS3 for survey” or “let us buy you a 42 inch plasma tv! Just type in your zip code.” The purpose of those operations was “lead generation”–that is, connecting consumers with advertisers trying to sell certain goods or services, the FTC complaint said.”