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SANTA CLARA – California Attorney General Bill Lockyer filed suit against Internet marketer PW Marketing LLC, accusing the company of illegally spamming millions of Californians. 

The suit, filed Thursday in Santa Clara County Superior Court, alleges the company’s owners, Paul Willis of Northridge and Claudia Griffin of Canyon Country, violated various California consumer protection statutes that prohibit unsolicited commercial e-mails, known as spam. 

The suit also alleges the company violated statutes against using false addresses in advertising, failing to disclose required information, engaging in untrue or deceptive advertising and engaging in unfair business competition. 

“Spamming is the scourge of the Information Age,” Lockyer said Thursday evening in a written release. “In filing this action, we are sounding a warning that we will track down and prosecute those who send illegal spam.” 

An afterhours call to the Canyon Country-based company Thursday was not immediately returned. Several Internet advertisements for P.W. Marketing offer lists of e-mail addresses for sale, including a list of 4.5 million California residents and businesses. 

“Statistically, California residents are the most responsive consumers to e-mail advertisers who offer various products and services,” the PW Marketing advertisement said.