Question: Is spam illegal?
Answer: If the spam you receive promotes an illegal product or service, it is illegal. But for now, simply spamming someone is not illegal.
Should laws pass banning spam, there are many challenges to finding offenders. Unfortunately, spammers are getting creative on how they send out their bulk Email. Many times, they're outside of the U.S., hide their identity and even use an innocent person's Email address to make the Email appear as if it came from someone else.
Professionals in the direct marketing industry have voiced their concerns over making spam illegal. They feel doing so would limit their ability to market products and services effectively.