Verizon Wireless files suit in phone spam case

Reuters.com reports that Verizon Wireless "has filed a lawsuit seeking an injunction against a Florida firm that it charges with sending thousands of unsolicited text messages to Verizon customers' mobile phones."

According to the suit, "98,000 spam messages were sent on behalf of Ormond Beach, Florida, firm Passport Holidays telling Verizon customers they had won cruises to the Bahamas. Ovum analyst Roger Entner noted "U.S. wireless operators are being more vigilant about such incidents, which could cost users and carriers dearly."

Entner pointed out that wireless operators "need to be even more careful than Internet service providers because the stakes are higher. He said, "While it is very annoying to get spam in your e-mail account, it doesn't cost you anything, whereas on a wireless phone it costs you up to 10 cents a message."

According to Entner, "even if Verizon received messaging fees from each of the 98,000 customers who was spammed, it could have lost anywhere between $500,000 and $1 million if each one had called customer service to complain," who assumed "such calls cost the company between $5 and $8 on average."

Entner said "In the few cases where somebody is stupid enough to do it, at least the carriers are stepping up to the plate."