WASHINGTON-Verizon Wireless Wednesday sued two telemarketers for violating the prohibition against making sales calls to mobile phones using autodialers.
Using evidence initially gained because Verizon Wireless employees received recorded messages selling time shares, Verizon Wireless determined that the two companies made hundreds of thousands of calls to its customers. San Diego-based Intelligent Alternatives L.L.C. is accused of attempting 65,000 calls July 20, more than one per second, according to the suit filed in Superior Court in Sacramento, Calif. Resort Marketing Trends L.L.C., based in Coral Springs, Fla., attempted more than 17,000 calls Aug. 2, according to Verizon Wireless’ suit filed in Superior Court in Somerville, N.J.
Intelligent Alternatives made more than 1.1 million total calls selling time-shares in RiverPoint Napa Valley, said Verizon Wireless. RMT made 280,000 calls selling time-shares in the Royal Atlantic Suites in Atlantic City, N.J.
Verizon Wireless is asking for $500 per call, the maximum allowed under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. Verizon Wireless said the calls irritated customers and cost $6.50 for each customer-service call it received from subscribers complaining about the telemarketing calls.
“These lawsuits serve notice once again to any company, organization or individual who seeks to infringe on our customers’ privacy. The law says you can’t do it, and we will help defend our customers against these sorts of illegal practices,” said Steven Zipperstein, Verizon Wireless general counsel and vice president of legal and external affairs. “Wireless users view cell phones as one of their last refuges from telemarketing intrusion and other unwanted, unsolicited calls and messages.”
CTIA said it is reaching out to remind wireless consumers that they “can and should register” complaints with the Federal Communications Commission if they receive telemarketing calls on their mobile phones, said Michael Altschul, CTIA senior vice president and general counsel. “Making these calls violates the law,” Altschul told RCR Wireless News.
Congress passed the Telephone Consumer Protection Act in the early 1990s and refused to amend it to remove the autodialer prohibition when it added the telemarketing provisions that created the popular Do Not Call Registry. Mobile-phone users also can register their numbers on the registry.
