Verizon Wireless has filed what may be the first anti-spam lawsuit against 51 individuals who allegedly sent millions of unsolicited text promotions to cell phones.
The lawsuit filed at the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey seeks unspecified damages and injunctive relief. The lawsuit charges violation of the 2003 federal CAN-SPAM Act and the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, among other state and federal statues.
According to court papers, Jacob Brown of Pawtucket, RI, the 51 defendants and 50 unidentified individuals transmitted 4.5 million unsolicited text messages, which appear to come from nonexistent e-mail accounts.
The spam offered various products and services, including mortgages, herbal supplements, software and adult Web site content. Verizon charged that the messages, including some sent to children, clogged its computer systems.
The identities of the senders and the source were disguised, according to Verizon
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