Verizon Wireless has filed a lawsuit to stop an unknown telemarketing company that has been callings its subscribers and offering an extended car warranty. The carrier's suit alleges that the telemarketer is using an autodialer to reach the Verizon customers and has also used "spoofing" techniques to hide where its calls are coming from. Verizon Wireless claims that the telemarketing calls began in January of this year and about 2 million of its subscribers received the calls. Those who answered the call were asked to press "1" if they wanted more information about an extended car warranty and doing so connected them with a live operator. When Verizon employees asked for more information about the company, the operator hung up.
"Telemarketers are using increasingly sophisticated methods, such as illegal autodialing, to harass our customers," said Steven E. Zipperstein, vice president and general counsel of Verizon Wireless. "Whatever the method, these unlawful telemarketing calls are an annoyance to our customers and invade their privacy, and we will continue to use every weapon in our legal arsenal to stop this activity and protect our customers."
For more on Verizon Wireless' suit:
- read this press release