Verizon customers plagued by annoying telemarketing calls will be happy to know that Verizon won a recent lawsuit against a telemarketing company. "All Star Vacations and Marketing Group" was accused of harassing cellular customers by leaving automated messages telling people they had won trips:
Verizon filed a suit in February against All Star, as well as another Florida travel company, after complaints about an estimated 500,000 calls to Verizon customers. Punters were left Spanish language messages "congratulating" them on winning trips to various resort locations which could be redeemed if users phoned a toll-free number to claim their "prize". All Star hired Southeastern Bell Corporation to make these pre-recorded calls using auto-dialling equipment.
While the company ended up paying a minor sum for damages at only $5000, they will be prevented from doing the same thing again. There's a fine line between advertisement and harassment, it seems, and companies are more and more responding to their customers complaints.