California company settles for $2.4 million for alleged spam

A California company has agreed to a $2.4 million settlement with federal and state officials with regard to a lawsuit against it for allegedly sending unsolicited e-mail messages pitching mortgage services, among other things, officials said Thursday.   Rick Yang and Peonie Pui Ting Chen, both of Los Angeles, who allegedly operated Optin Global Inc. and Vision Media Limited Corp., were sued in April 2005 by Bill Lockyer, California's attorney general, and the Federal Trade Commission, officials said.   The lawsuit resulted in a freeze on their assets and a temporary restraining order stopping what Lockyer described in a statement as "unlawful spam," and the defendants went out of business, according to Lockyer.   The two "in just one year flooded computers with almost 2 million spam messages" allegedly pitching mortgage services, car warranties, travel deals, prescription drugs and college degrees, according to Lockyer.   Attempts to reach the two for comment were ...